Journey Beyond Darkness
by jade405
Summary: AU This story starts with Anakin's fall, continues with Vader finding a young Luke, and hopefully we shall see the twins reunitedafter many many chapters
1. Default Chapter

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Journey Beyond Darkness

PROLOGUE

The two lightsabers clashed, parrying the blows coming from their bearers. Both blades were blue. With a huge effort and calling upon the Force, Obi-wan managed to divert the blade swung by his former apprentice. Anakin took a step backwards but didn't lower his sword. His azure eyes shone dangerously as he radiated anger and dark energy. His glare burnt into Obi-Wan's heart dissolving any feeling that was left for the young man, leaving the Jedi Knight calm and disappointed before the would-be Sith.

Anakin Skywalker was not a Sith yet. He acted more on impulse and anger every day, but he hadn't taken the last step – yet. Emotions were still strong inside him, more contrary and powerful than ever: anger and frustration, hope and despair, kindness, tenderness, … love. A Jedi shall not know such emotions, but he had never been an ordinary Jedi. He started his training at the age of nine, when all other children were taken into the Order before turning two. As a matter of fact, he wasn't a Jedi any more. He had been kicked out when the Council found out about his marriage to Senator Padme Amidala of the Naboo. 

Obi-Wan swung his weapon only to be parried again. He wasn't afraid he might lose. Jedi are not afraid and he was a Jedi. He felt no fear, no hesitation, no anger and no remorse as he attacked the young man, lashing mercilessly at his hands, shoulders – anywhere he could register a blow. These weren't the most fair tactics, but then again, this wasn't an exercise, but a fight against a Sith. And a Sith must be destroyed.

Anakin was startled at the sudden increase in his opponent's power, his Force awareness. He missed a beat, and although not wounded, was pushed a step backwards. Beneath them, the ground rumbled but none of the two fighters noticed the tremors that passed through the very rocks they were standing on. Several feet below the ground cracked and more lava leaked out, joining the ht rivulets that had slithered through this wasteland forever.

Anger surged just as hot inside Anakin. How could his former master push him back? HIM? The Chosen One? But, of course, Obi-Wan must feel it is his duty to destroy the monster before him. And Obi-Wan has never known a more powerful motivation than duty. Duty was what The Code required, what The Council commanded. Duty was unquestionably right. 'He has no doubts' thought Anakin. 'I've always felt like my soul was being ripped in two. I spent my years as a Padawan thinking twice about every action, wandering whether to listen to what Obi-Wan would say or to my heart. But no! Master Obi-Wan never had any doubts, never had any difficulty dealing with what was required of him. No, the perfect example of what the Order wants it's students to be never felt like dozing off in the middle of a lecture, never felt like flying a speeder upside down out of curiosity, never felt the excitement of a chase. And he most definitely didn't wake up in the middle of the night feeling alone and missing his mother so much it hurts.'

And so it was, drove by the certainty that he was doing the right thing and that there was no other way, Obi-Wan began pushing the young man towards the edge of the cliff. Anakin was angry, but his anger was not pure, it was mixed with so many emotions that it didn't enhance his fighting skills very much (sounds familiar? ROTJ). He took another step backwards, this time, sending some stones tumbling down. He turned from the edge and went for his opponent's midsection. Obi-Wan, however, jumped clear and, while Anakin was moving away from the pit, caught his back undefended and brought his lightsaber down in an arch. The young man was fast and turned away just in time to avoid the fatal blow and have just his left shoulder grazed. In the second that took for the pain to register Obi-Wan slashed at his hand – his right prosthetic hand, and cut it off. It may not have been flesh, but it hurt. But, unlike other Jedi and unlike Obi-Wan himself when wounded by Count Dooku, Anakin did not fall to his knees, or back away. In one fluid motion he called his lightsaber to his left hand and dove again for his old master. Obi-Wan parried and started circling his opponent. 

Two peaks to the left, a volcano erupted, this time noticed by both. The situation was getting dangerous. 'This has to end ' Obi-Wan thought. 'If I have to die trying, Anakin will not walk away from this'. He went for the young man's left arm but Anakin sidestepped his master and in that moment Obi-Wan took the opportunity to kick him viciously in the side, sending him closer to the ridge. He saw the ridge. He knew it was there, and, in an act that he would forever consider the right thing to do, took advantage of Anakin's loss of balance as he extended his hand and Force pushed the young man into the bottomless pit full of fiery red liquid.

*

Anakin fell, and fell, no sound coming from him as he hit two landings too weak to support his weight but which bruised his back and broke a few ribs. 

And then, … he stopped. Or rather splashed as his body submerged in the hot substance. His fear of passing out burnt in an instant as every millimeter of his body was assaulted by burning needles that burned away the flesh making their was to the muscles. He managed to crawl out of the river of lava, onto a small bank. It was then that noxious chemicals entered his nostrils only to render him helpless as they burned away at his lungs. 

He must have lain there for hours, too weak to crawl away, too week to regain consciousness, but his mind and body were painfully active. He tried to ignore the pain coming from his side, from his tight and probably broken ankle, to fight away the feeling from his burnt and wounded shoulder, and the feeling of blood clogging on his face. But most of all he tried to breathe. 

During the first hour his lungs were severely damaged and his broken ribs only made each breath worse. He couldn't do it anymore. He couldn't draw another breath. 'One more, just one more. Keep breathing Skywalker! You can't quit' Tears started flowing from his eyes but he wasn't aware of them. All he could feel was an increasing burning in his chest. With every breath he sunk deeper in the night that enveloped his senses, not even the agony of staying alive, of feeling his alveoli being scorched, managing to keep him afloat. 

'Padme' he whispered, and the pain returned tenfold, but this time he was determined to stay alive, to stay awake and to make each breath, never giving up.

*

Thousands light years away, on a desert world, a child awoke with a start. Two years old Luke Skywalker didn't call for his aunt Beru, or his uncle Owen although he found the room rather stuffy. He tried going outside only to find he was too tired to move, too tired to call for anyone, almost too tired to breathe. Luke tried to fight back the surge of panic he felt and keep calm, but breathing had become increasingly difficult in the last few seconds. It was as though his lungs were on fire. When his efforts became too much to bear, the noise attracted his aunt.

By the time they got him to the hospital in Ancorhead, Luke could take no more than three breaths per minute. Beru spent the rest of the night in the hospital watching her child sweat and cry as he fought alone for his life, under the eyes of bewildered medics and droids who couldn't find anything wrong with him. It was dawn when he finally fell into a normal breathing and cardiac rhythm. He was diagnosed with a severe breathing disorder, although all the test results came back negative, and nobody could explain the powerful ache he felt in his heart. 


	2. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: sorry I forgot about it in the prologue. I don't own Star Wars, Lucas does.

AN Thank you so much for reviewing. I realize some of the ideas you find here may not be new; I did not intent to copy anything, this is just how I see things and if there is a strong resemblance to somebody else's fic, it is pure coincidence.

CHAPTER 1

Four years later…

Tattoo I painted the horizon a reddish hue as a new day began on the Lars moisture farm. Beru was already in the kitchen unit getting breakfast ready as her husband rushed in.

'I'm going to Ancorhead to see if I can pick up a new droid to replace the one that got busted yesterday.' he said.

'Are you taking Luke with you?'

'No. Boy's gotta clean up those C4 units and tidy the workshop'. 

Owen always gave Luke chores that kept him busy for most of the day. Although not especially delighted, Luke didn't complain much. Aside from school, life on Tatooine was always hard and unwavering boring. The more time he spent doing something rather than just daydreaming, the better. Luke would much rather be doing other things, but that was not an option. Luke was one of the smartest kids in school. He was top of his class and his instructor told him he had an amazing potential and that he could do something interesting in life. You could get no higher praise than that. Owen, however, did not seem too pleased with the child's results. Far from being more demanding, he felt Luke's talent would take him away from them. He acknowledged his grades with a short grunt, seeming unimpressed.

'Oh, Owen, you know how much he loves going into town for something else than school. Besides, he might want to meet his friends.'

'He isn't even up yet. Besides, he has work to do and I don't have time to stroll through Ancorhead answering all his silly questions and watching him gape at every speeder we pass by.'

Luke's fascination with ships was another subject that irked Owen. The child seemed to dream of nothing but flying, in Force knows what contraption, and he took every chance to examine a vehicle, no matter if it was designed for humans or not. Three years ago Luke had announced his guardians he would become a pilot. Owen dismissed the possibility although he said nothing at the time. He did, however, feel a bit shaky, wondering if it could already be a decided fact, given the child's immediate ancestry.

'Morning!' Luke entered the small kitchen and sat at the table fighting a yawn. 

'Are you going in town today?' he asked innocently looking at his uncle.

'Yes', Owen felt uneasy whenever Luke asked a certain question, or knew where certain device was, or what part of a droid was broken.

'I saw the speeder outside', and then he would say something to make it all seem logical. But sometimes, there wasn't a logical explanation and that was when both Owen and Beru knew that it had something to do with the Force the child was supposedly strong with.

Luke had noticed the looks that passed between his aunt and uncle whenever such things occurred and had started refraining himself from saying stuff like that, or predicting sandstorms, as he noticed he could.

Beru gave her husband a look that was both pleading and final, so he turned around and said 'Get ready because I'm leaving in half an hour and I won't wait another minute'

Luke got up without finishing breakfast and ran towards his room. This was how he acted whenever he was excited. He would never start voicing his feelings or hug his uncle in gratitude. When he had been younger he would hug his aunt, but that had passed. Luke loved his guardians, but he had never considered them to be his parents, nor did he consider himself their son. His father's image was too alive inside of him, his longing for his real parent too strong. Although he had never met his father or seen a holo of him, Luke often found himself dreaming of meeting him, of flying together. Of loving and being loved by somebody as only a parent can. His father's image was a stirring of bright colors, the same colors he felt dance inside of him whenever he was happy.

*

As promised, half an hour later, Luke and his uncle were seated in the little speeder, Luke happy and excited, Owen grumpy as ever. Once they reached Ancorhead, Owen headed straight for the nearest spare parts dealer, searching for a cheap droid, his nephew trailing behind him, eyeing delighted the crowded shed. Rows upon rows of spare parts, cables, vocal chips and memory drives. While Owen dealt with the owner, a pudgy-faced human whom Luke hadn't seen before, the boy wandered to the far corner of the room. He hadn't seen anything that caught his eye in particular, but still, his feet compelled him in that direction. 

'Hey! What's you doing in there? Get out!' the man suddenly shouted noticing where Luke stood. 

The boy was taken by surprise and didn't understand what he had done wrong. Unlike him, Owen passed quickly over the reason of the man's behavior and, reaching the boy's side in two strides, dragging him to stand next to him. Meanwhile, the man had brought in two used droids which Owen was now inspecting. 

'You don't want to go anywhere near there again,' the man hissed so that only Luke could hear him and the boy couldn't help to notice how suddenly his Basic had improved.

'Why not?' he demanded, knowing as soon as the words left his mouth that it was a mistake. Children don't talk back to adults, especially ones like this. 

'You could get hurt … badly, and maybe then you would learn your place', the man continued, hoping to see a glint of fear in the child's eyes. 

'I'm not afraid of you.' Luke said, deciding to stick to the brave attitude.

'You should be' the man ended and stood to face Owen. 'So, what you think? Droid good for you? '

'Yes, I'll take it', Owen replied, unaware of the previous conversation. He bought the droid, then headed back to the speeder, his nephew in tow. 

*

'You should have been', said the man inside the now empty shop. Then he closed, took off his shabby tunic underneath which he had a loose flight suit, and opened a door to his left.

'Derek! Bo! Get in here!' he yelled and an alien descended the stairs, followed by another human, both wearing flight suits. 'Get the credits and let's head back to the ship. We have enough merchandise'

'Yes boss', the alien said and then stopped, seeing Trek fiddle with some sedatives. His confused stare drew the second man's attention.

'I thought you said we have enough, Trek', he complained. 'Why bother with another?'

'Because it will be fun. Besides, we're not looking for street rats this time.'

'Oh, no?'

'No, I just saw one come in here. Right age, a little skinny but he looked like a desert rat so he should be able to work with little food. … and, I do want to see fear in those little blue eyes', Trek said getting his bag.. Meanwhile, the alien had retrieved a bulgy bag from behind the shelf Luke had been staring at.

*

It was noon by the time the three men left the building. Tatooine's twin suns were high in the sky and the streets were busy with all sorts of aliens, pirates, mercenaries and farmers, each going their own way. The trio turned towards the figure of Owen Lars standing in the middle of the street, next to his nephew, lecturing him about something the child obviously found too boring to pay attention to. 

'Are you listening to me?' demanded Owen in an exasperated voice.

'Yes, Uncle Owen. I'm not to pay attention to other people's stuff, just keep myself out of trouble', the young boy promptly replied, as he had heard the same thing several times before. Owen grunted something, than started towards the end of the street, his nephew falling into step behind him. 

'Uncle Owen, 'said Luke but then abruptly stopped, thinking his question couldn't improve his uncle's mood.

'What is it?' Owen demanded the slightest trace of suspicion in his voice. Seeing he had the older man's attention, Luke decided to go for it. 

'Could we go see the races?', he asked, all the hope of a six year old in his eyes.

'There are no races today' Owen snapped, angry about the boy's constant interest for something so useless now and later on in his life.

'Yes there are. I heard two men talk about their bets'

'You'd like to bet?' his uncle demanded incredulously.

'Of course not! I'm going to fly!' Luke answered as though it was the most obvious thing.

'Listen to me boy,' pressed Owen, 'there are no races in Ancorhead. Whatever you heard were probably drunken aliens talking nonsense. '

'But,' Luke struggled to get a word in.

'But nothing! The closest racetrack is in Mos Eisley, and there's no way you're getting near that place as long as I live.'

Luke's spirits sunk at these words, but the despondent look was soon replaced by a determined one as he stood before his uncle, seeing nothing but his dream come true, and feeling that it MUST come true. He couldn't spent his life like his aunt and uncle, working all year with the vaporators, seeing nothing but their neighbors, watching the same sand dunes as life passed by. Luke Skywalker would not be a farmer, but a pilot - like his father. And he would live his life away from this dustball of a planet, among the stars that so fascinated him. The call of the stars had become stronger lately, and sometimes, he felt a certain dread, like a foreboding. He sometimes got the feeling he would be too late. For what, not even he knew. But right now he didn't care. He was sulking because he wanted to see the races Biggs had told him about. He knew Mos Eisley was far away, but he didn't care. He was sulking because the alternative was to admit defeat, to admit something to be impossible and to give up. And he didn't want to give up any of his dreams.

His distant look made Owen forget about the second point he wanted to discuss, that of Luke becoming a pilot. Instead he steered the child towards the marketplace for some remaining purchases. 

The three slavers watched the little exchange and then trek nodded towards the other two. If they didn't agree with their boss's plan they didn't say so, but proceeded to carry out their plan of action. One of them moved towards Owen's left side as he was still walking, and bumped into the man, causing his attention to turn towards him. In this time, the other grabbed Luke from behind, covering his mouth so he wouldn't scream, while Trek slipped the drug in his shoulder. The effect of the shot, which was supposed to be instant, delayed its appearance, and the alien looked questioningly at Trek, suggesting they might want to forget about this one. Trek only shook his head and, while dragging the struggling boy in an alley, stunned him. 

After a few more meters, Owen turned towards his nephew, and stared panicked at the empty space there. He returned to the last place he had seen the boy, than ran back finding no sign of Luke. He tried calling him, asking people if they had seen a small boy, but nobody cared or remembered. He decided to wait, maybe the boy had been distracted by a speeder, or maybe he was being told off by a stranger. However, he had the feeling it was in vain. 

A few miles away, one alien was loading the same boy in a shuttle while the two men set a course for Mos Eisley.


	3. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Star Wars and I'm not making any money out of this.

AN This chapter contains some violence, and is the main reason the story was rated PG13. If you are uncomfortable with such scenes you may want to wait for the next chapter.

On a happier note I was very pleased to see how many people reviewed this (beside my friends). Yes, Vader will find Luke but not until the next chapter.

CHAPTER 2

Luke awoke slowly but then jumped at the complete darkness that enveloped him. It was never this dark back home. Then, the events caught up with him and he froze. Through his mounting panic he could sense everything more clearly: the ache in his muscles, the complete darkness he was in, the undisturbed silence. Calming down a bit, he realized he must be in some kind of a room but couldn't bring himself to get up and explore its width or look for a door. Deciding to do so later, once he found the courage, he huddled together, and without realizing, fell asleep.

The next time Luke opened his eyes, he felt a little better. The room was no longer dark and his body didn't hurt like before. Scanning the cell he noticed a few crates piled up in the back and decided to have a look. After discovering nothing but splinters, he sat down, leaning against a wall, staring at the door. He didn't have to wait long before he heard an approaching murmur of voices. Then, the door burst open and Luke could see the owner of the shop he had entered with Uncle Owen the other day. 

Trek had one hand on the doorframe and seemed undecided whether to enter or not. After staring at the child who was staring back at him, for a full minute, he entered the small room and the door closed behind him. His face blank, Trek looked down at the child and said: 

'You afraid yet? Ain't never gonna see your uncle again'

'You can drop the speech, I know you speak perfect Basic,' Luke blurted out before he could stop himself. As the man staggered a bit, the boy realized that he wasn't trying to pull anything – he was just drunk. 

Just drunk, however, was not something you could say about Trek today, or any other day. He was beyond that. He had just had a quarrel with his 'associates' who all agreed the boy would bring them nothing but trouble, no matter who they tried to sell him to. They usually went for homeless, or lost kids, or kidnapped the ones they has followed for a period and found to be hard working and easy to subdue. This one was nothing like that. Living on a farm meant he probably had his share of chores, but they didn't know how well or how much he could do. He wasn't homeless, so there was the slight chance his parents (no, uncle, Trek thought) would look for him. He was also rather willful, by the way he stood up to his uncle and wasn't put off by Trek's words. The only good they could find in him was his unusual resistance to drugs, well one drug to be precise, and Trek had big plans concerning this talent. 

But how to subdue him? All the other children they had had been brainwashed or terrified to such an extent they no longer knew who they were, and would do anything they were ordered. This last part had been achieved with a little help from a whip, but just a little. It was amazing how easily you could control children once they realized they had nothing left but you. Thinking back to his earlier correction, Trek approached the child who was still sitting on the floor, regarding him through sky blue eyes.

'Oh, look at the little boy, he wants to go home to mummy!'

No answer. 

'I don't think your father will be too pleased that you ran away like that', Trek went on, seemingly undisturbed.

'He is not my father' the child finally answered. Luke rose from his sitting position, mentally kicking himself from not doing so before. Somehow, he knew what would come next.

'Then where is your father?' Trek asked feigning concern.

'That's none of your business' Luke said a little too loudly, and cringed anticipating the effect of his tone. But something inside him was still screaming, the pain of a six year old who grew up without a father, the longing for his real parent, the need to have him near in the good moments more than the bad. His father was dead. As far as he knew or remembered, he always had been. But that didn't make the child more accepting of his absence or less defensive of his memory. 

'Did he perhaps leave you' said the man, paying attention to his wording 'because of the no good runt you are?' Luke frowned as the man continued 'Or did he just leave because there was nothing left staying for?' Luke didn't answer merely stared ahead, determination not to give this man satisfaction written all over his young features.

'Say, maybe he hates you and told your mother…'

'Shut up!' Luke yelled not being able to stand it any more, not caring what his punishment would be. 

He was strangely aware that the voices in the other room had stopped, but he couldn't fight the wave that was equally pain and anger that washed over him. The next thing he felt was something he couldn't name, a whisper in his mind, a feeling in the pit of his stomach, which he had come to know as his danger alarm. 

He barely had time to register this as the man's fist connected with his ribs, the force of the attack sending him to the floor. Luke didn't waste a minute and got back on his feet, before Trek could take one step in his direction. This seemed to anger the man even more as he was by his side in one stride, taking Luke by the hair and hitting him again and again. Luke fought at first, but seeing the other had the advantage tried to break free, only to be brought back by the tips of his hair. Trek caught his arm and twisted it behind his back so hard he thought his shoulder would break. Pushing him to his knees, Trek waited till the boy stopped struggling (for however short a time) before he brought his face close to that of the child.

'That was your firs lesson, slave' Trek said, his eyes boring into those of the boy. 'Never raise your voice to your master'

'You are not my master' a cracked little voice announced. As he fought back tears of pain, there was no doubt in the Luke's mind that he was not a slave and would never be. 

'Really,' challenged Trek 'let's see about that. You don't have anything: you don't have a family, you don't have a place to live, you don't have friends. You can't decide what to play with, and you can't decide what you eat or when you sleep. I decide that. Me. I decide whether you live or die. I own you, and the sooner you get that, the better. You have nothing, NOTHING, not even your life is your own'

Trek though his speech went pretty well because the boy stopped fidgeting and stood (or better, kneeled, Trek thought) still. The silence was soon broken by the small voice, which seemed to have gained more power since the last time the child spoke.

'I have my name'

Trek's anger rose in an instant and he once again began to pummel the small body, eager to draw a scream or a plea for him to stop. He got none, and by the time he stepped aside, Luke was no longer fighting, buy lying bruised and motionless in the dirt. The only sound in the room was his now shallow breath, the only sigh he was alive. But as Trek stood back to admire his work, two sky blue eyes opened to stare at him. There was no anger in those wide eyes and no fear. Only pain, sadness and exhaustion. 

Trek left the room, afraid that if he stayed a minute longer he would kill the kid in anger, and content as he would have been with that, there would be no future profit. He didn't want that. If the child wouldn't subject to fear and pain, maybe exhaustion would do the trick. All he had to do was work him as hard as possible, and in the end of each day, dare him to say he still had something. A name! Of all the silly things to hold to, he chose a name. What's a name? Trek and his associates had three identities this very moment and none remembered the number they had owned during their lives. He knew it was a two-digit number, anyway.

Back in the cell, Luke lay in the same position Trek left him. He wasn't afraid of the man, although he dreaded physical punishment. He didn't think his aunt and uncle would find him. Later, perhaps, when he would find out where he was, he could try to make his way back to them. Although he had very little, Luke started to think of ways to escape, if only to occupy his mind and distract it from the pain his body was in. He knew he must have some broken ribs, so he tried his best not to move, thinking it would only do him harm. He also thought he might be sick. As he felt sleep begin to claim him, he decided he had to hold on to the one thing he still had, and would always have, no matter what. His name – Luke Skywalker, which was the name of his father, who had given it to him willingly, and who loved him as much as he was loved by Luke. He soon fell asleep, small tears making their way down his cheeks. 

And in the dark cell no one noticed because he was alone.


	4. Chapter 3

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Star Wars and I'm not making any money out of this.

CHAPTER 3

Luke had woken up the next morning, feeling the gritty sand of Tatooine under his face. The door to his cell burst open and he was ordered to come out. Then, after loading several heavy crates aboard a space ship, they (because there were several other children there) were each thrown a meager ration bar. Luke scowled at this, as he was used to having blue milk for breakfast, but ate it without any comment, not knowing when the next 'meal' would be. There were only boys in the compound, but Luke soon noticed how the others kept their distance and that, although looking overworked, none were hurt as bad as he was. He didn't talk to anyone during that day, or the following two, but that might have been because he never got close enough to anybody. In the evening he was escorted back to his cell.

On the forth day, after polishing the entire floor of the space ship, under Trek's vigil eyes, occasionally receiving a kick in the ribs, he was lead not to his cell, but to another, where twelve other boys lay on the dirty floor. Luke thought that perhaps he had been only kept alone because he had been sick, and that all the other boys slept together cramped in small rooms no bigger than the one he had occupied alone. Suddenly he felt guilty for having taken so much space by himself, and the compassion he felt increased when he caught sight of the miserable faces that surrounded him. The boys looked more than tired and hungry, Luke thought they suffered from something terrible because except from the ingrained sadness, there didn't appear to be any life in them. 

This didn't discourage him, though, as he approached one of the boys and began to introduce himself.

'Hello', Luke said in a lively voice that contrasted with the deep silence in the room, 'my name is Luke Skyw…' but he didn't get to finish as the door burst open behind him and he could see all the other boys soundlessly gathering together. 

'What did you just say?' Trek demanded angrily, and Luke could see the man was going to have a fit any moment now. 

'I said my name is Lu…' Luke didn't manage to get the rest of it out as he found himself on the ground, face red and hurting. Unlike the first day in this place, he didn't get up that fast, or easy, his previous wounds unhealed and hurting. As soon as he got to his feet it began again. Furious fists assaulted his stomach and ribs and, although he knew it was in vain, he kept trying to resist them, to find some closure and reprise from the pain. 

'You're lucky we're selling you in two days. Otherwise you would have gotten much worse' Trek spat, and before leaving, he pulled out his blaster and stunned Luke.

Sixteen hours later, Luke woke up in one of the compartments of the space ship he had cleaned. He didn't know why he was awake while the rest of the boys that were with him slept, but as laser fire challenged the ship's shield (how did he know it was laser fire, Luke asked himself) Luke knew it had been his danger alarm that had woken him. He could hear Trek shout something and get equally panicked replies from his crew, but he couldn't make out what they were saying. 

The men were desperately trying to avoid the large ship that was attacking them. They had just loaded some supplies on Rodia, and before they could enter hyperspace, the Imperial Navy had shown up. Their ship was under attack, and it was just a question of time before the Forsyte Moon would be drawn inside the Star Destroyer by a tractor beam. All they could do was land back on Rodia, and hope to be able to disappear in the city they knew so well. Trek, on the other hand had different plans: he didn't want anybody making away with their precious cargo, and decided they had more chances to escape the imps by fighting them on the surface.

* 

Slavery was outlawed in the Galactic Empire, but the current policies were no different from those of the Old Republic. Any person found guilty of promoting slavery was convicted to serve a life sentence on Kessel – the Empire's own slave colony. However, there was no interest for finding the slave networks, the only convictions took place when the local governments or the Navy happened to stumble across their loaded ships – such as now. Unbeknown to the general public but known to the Emperor, Darth Vader was not satisfied with the current situation. He had obtained a ban on slavery on the Outer Rim worlds, but the Empire had a feeble presence on planets that were still controlled by local gangsters and populated by space pirates and smugglers. Although the Emperor had commanded Vader's interest towards more important matters, the Dark Lord could not dismiss the ship identified as the Forsyte Moon that greeted them when coming out of hyperspace. 

'Captain!'

'Yes, My Lord'

'Allow them to land and organize a boarding party', the booming voice of Darth Vader was heard across the entire deck, although the giant was standing by the windowsill, facing outwards.

'My Lord, wouldn't a tractor be…' the captain's helpful comment was silenced when Vader's helmet slowly turned to face him.

'Yes, My Lord' the man turned abruptly and left as fast as he could, thanking his lucky star for delaying the death he so clumsily almost brought onto himself. 

*

Trek had just landed the Forsyte Moon when the Imperial Scout ships surrounded it. 'So much for them sending only one team' Trek thought and cursed under his breath. There was no going back now, but he would be damned if they would take him without a fight. 'If only we had something to trade!' He smiled at that. Their cargo hold was full with 'something to trade', but none would be of use in the present circumstances. 

'Aim for that one' he said indicated the closest ship. The Forsyte Moon's guns came to life. None of the imperials expected such resistance. Their shield was not up and as the powerful beam caught them, the ship exploded. One enemy was down but there were still plenty to blast them into eternity. Wondering why they hadn't done so already, even to avenge their own loss, the Forsyte Moon kept firing at the now advancing troops, without any luck this time, due to the positioning of its weapons, which were meant to hit only ship-sized targets, in the air, not on the ground.

* 

Aboard the Star Destroyer's deck, Darth Vader strode impatiently. He was in no hurry to finish this assignment and to return to the Imperial Center, but still, he couldn't suppress a feeling of anticipation. He also felt a disturbance in the Force. The signal was weak, but he thought it had enough power to be worth an investigation. 

'Ready my shuttle.' He couldn't wait any longer, so he decided to see for himself what exactly it was about the slavers' transport that had created the disturbance.

The Stormtroopers were marching along the ' Moon's hallway, dragging two limp bodies towards the ramp of the ship, where another was lying unconscious. Trek had been the first to meet the troops and now he lay face down and motionless, just inside the ship. The troops had already opened the cargo hold and were now marching the children outside. 'That's our merchandise,' Trek thought angrily, then remembered he was playing unconscious, waiting for the right moment to escape. 

Another shuttle landed and Lord Vader descended down the ramp. He strode towards the captured vessel, acknowledging an officer who informed him about the nature of its passengers: three adult males, two human one alien and twenty one slaves, all children. In cases such as these, the procedure was to return the children who still knew where they lived to their families and to sent the others to an orphanage. Two officers on board were presently doing just that, inquiring about the home planets and families of the terrified bunch of children. 

'Do you know where you live?' one of the officers demanded for the tenth time that afternoon. Luke stared at the man in front of him. He had been asked a question, and he knew the answer. But didn't say it loud. Maybe it was the tiredness; maybe it was the pain in his side, or maybe just the pain of standing up. He felt like drowning in a sea of gray. He needed rest and he needed to sleep somewhere that was neither the gritty sand nor the vibrating deck of a ship. He wasn't angry with the man that kept him up, just annoyed, tired and lost in a strange place with strangers that dressed alike, had the same height and didn't feel 'colored'. Although Tatooine was one giant dust ball, Luke thought the planet had a nice enough color. The sky above the dunes was so blue it defied comparison. He used to stare at the sky for hours on end, until his uncle would shout at him. He used to dream about flying among the stars and visiting different planets. Well, he was on a planet now, but so far it didn't feel like big deal. Maybe because he was still on the ship. Luke turned towards the exit, squinting against the light. It was late afternoon and the sun was setting behind a forest that surrounded several ships. But Luke had been in the dark for so many hours that for him, the forest appeared covered in light. The forest. Plants were rare on Tatooine and he had never seen as much as a patch of the grass he knew covered whole planets. Here there were so many shades of green… The air felt different too, it felt like the air in the 'fresher after a real water shower.

As Luke followed the queue of children that were being escorted outside – the ones to be taken to an orphanage – his eyes, hungry for more colors and shapes fell on a dark clad figure that stood apart from the troops. The few children who had dared raise their heads, froze when catching sight of it, or started backing away. Luke was beginning to feel dizzy and supposed it was because of the large quantity of water in the atmosphere. His eyelids began to droop and his steps were less steady. He felt like he was going to be sick any moment now and didn't feel like there was anything he could do about it. Somehow, he doubted the men dressed in white would help him very much. He did wish it wouldn't happen in front of the black clad figure – now that would be embarrassing! Too late he recognized the discomfort for what it truly was, his danger alarm. Looking over his shoulder he saw Trek get up, grab a blaster from an unsuspecting Stormtrooper and point it at him. Without giving it a second thought, Luke did the first thing that came to him and turned sharply to the left, so he was hidden behind the large frame of the caped man. The movement had been too abrupt and he tried to steady himself as well as his erratic breathing, while gripping the man's cape with one hand, the other holding tightly to his leg. When he realized what he was doing, Luke let go, feeling stupid and embarrassed. How could he have thought that Trek was aiming for him? He was nobody. He was just Luke, and by the way the troops had frozen and were now looking at him, he was in big trouble. His mind repeated the moments he had missed while daydreaming: Vader's inquires about the men, the order to terminate them - the reason for Trek's sudden awakening.

Without something to hold on to, his knees gave out and he fainted.


	5. Chapter 4

Not mine don't sue!

CHAPTER 4

Vader stood rooted to the spot, looking down at the small body lying unconscious at his feet. It wasn't the child's surge of panic that he had felt through the Force, or his quick reflexes that had startled him. After all, he had come down to look for the presence he had felt, and maybe eliminate it. What disturbed the Dark Lord was the fact that the child had sought shelter in him and had touched him. It had been almost four years since nobody but his doctor had done the latter willingly. Vader had accepted that his condition had little hope for improvement but it didn't make him any happier when he thought about his disability and appearance, with or without the suit. He knew he was terrible to look at, and most times he used that to his advantage, although it also meant he had shut off from what people thought and felt about him. That some child would trust him enough to think Vader would keep him safe was so unexpected, the Sith didn't know how to react. He was half-crouching by the time he realized what was going on, (and in front of the troops, no less!) and then the only thing he could do without further embarrassing himself was to kneel down. As he extended a hand over the child's head Vader registered with amazement his power and the fact that the boy felt …warm.

'Commander!' Vader straightened and turned towards the storm trooper. 'Have them sorted and then take them aboard. I want all of them to be checked up in Med-bay and found quarters on level E.' With that he turned away and headed back to his shuttle.

He arrived first aboard the Star Destroyer and settled to wait in the hangar for the other two ships. He didn't have to hear gunfire to know that they had been attacked. It was too late to intervene; all he could do was hope they all got back. The pilots were skilled but the particular designs they were flying only had cannons on the front, and because of the children the ships were weighted down a bit over the limit. In the end, only one shuttle made its way to the hangar, and Vader viciously squashed the feeling of relief upon detecting the by now familiar presence aboard.

'Report in two hours in room C12, level 4', he told the first trooper to be out of the ship and strode away.

Two hours later found Vader pacing the meeting room, three troops and two deck officers seated at the table trying to stay in their seats and still face their superior.

'Why is it that I lost a good ship and three men?' he finally said, turning to the assembled.

'My Lord', began the remaining pilot 'we only detected the aggressors' presence when they were within firing range which made it too late for us to turn around and use our cannons. They were flying faster models and we were overloaded', he trailed off hoping he hadn't insulted the Dark Lord, after all it was he who ordered all the children taken aboard.

'Go on.' Vader said not caring about the implications.

'We did not outmaneuver them successfully and the shields did not hold. Their weapons were more powerful than the ships suggested. After the shuttle exploded we managed to get enough distance to escape.' finished the man in a coarse voice.

'Why didn't you detect them sooner? ' Vader asked, in a voice suggesting the answer was a matter of life and death.

'We didn't expect any threat. We were still close to the ground and they came at high speed.'

Vader turned towards the two deck officers who confirmed this and the dismissed them all.

He also made a mental note to amend the pilot training program as to include flying overloaded ships.

Vader strode into Med-bay for his meeting with Doctor Conner. The elder man greeted the Dark Lord and invited him to take a seat, which Vader declined. The Sith approved of him although he wasn't nearly as good as his personal doctor, but since she absolutely refused to leave Coruscant he had to settle for the old man. Vader assumed a position indicating he wanted to go straight to the subject and the doctor seamed to understand.

'None of the children are carrying an infectious disease. They are all in good health, if a little underfed. Except for one who was already unconscious when he was brought in. He has a severe concussion, three broken ribs, a hairline fracture in the left leg and severe bruising all over his body. He fell unconscious due to severe dehydration and lack of food for what I would say was three days. The bruising would suggest an amount of internal bleeding but that seams to have stopped and been reabsorbed before he got here. I understood the ones who survived were the ones heading towards orphanages?'

'Yes, that is correct.'

'Well, than I think this one must be very lucky indeed.' said the doctor ready to present his other findings and conclusion.

'And why is that, doctor?' Vader asked, his voice betraying nothing.

'All violence signs are recent. I find it hard to believe that a slave would be in need of such treatment if he were changing masters. I am almost certain he was abducted recently. His clothes are not the sort you find on beggars or those who live in the streets. He either didn't get the chance to talk to your troops or he lied to them. Either way, he saved his life'

'Why do you think he would lie?' asked Vader knowing that had been the case since the boy had been conscious when he left the slavers' ship.

'My guess would be he was hoping for a better life. Or a better chance at it. The dehydration is severe but not something that could be achieved in a few days if it wasn't present in some form or another to begin with. Not if you want to still be alive. He's from a desert climate; those planets only have spaceports and farms to boast about. Not much chance for doing anything if he lived there.'

No, not much chance, thought Vader. He interrupted his thoughts, determined not to start reminiscing about times long gone which, if he listened to his master, were not his memories at all. The only problem was that while he could deny that Anakin Skywalker was alive he could not deny his past. He could claim nothing tied him to that past, but the experience, the knowledge and the pain were less willing to sever their ties to him. Vader didn't think of the past often, and when he did it was only in passing and with a touch of regret. He no longer felt so angry and wronged by the Jedi, so betrayed by their leaving him for dead. The small number of knights did help, but the emotions, although still there, were felt less … passionately. Yes, that was the word. Vader no longer felt passion for life. How could he, encased in this suit that kept him breathing but prevented him from touching, seeing, tasting and smelling? And with none to feel strongly for, except for memories, his ability to feel was slowly eroding. In the end, all that would be left in Vader would be his will. A will for which its carrier no longer had purpose, only strength. A will ready to be completely bent to the one who gave it purpose. Vader knew this but found himself unable to prevent it. He only hoped to delay as much as possible that which would be his final enslavement. Dark Lord of the Sith he may be, but he still wanted to be his own person.

Realizing the silence was stretching and needing to solve the problem of the boy, he asked the doctor to take Vader to see him.

The child was lying on a small bunk, connected to an IV and breathing hollowly. As he approached, Vader was again overwhelmed by the beauty of his presence. He had never seen anything like it, even during his time as a Jedi. What he radiated was not strength, but spirit – resilience, hope, faith, stubbornness, passion, a whirlwind of emotions that even checked (which they weren't) would have alarmed the austere Jedi. Underneath his mask, Vader smiled.

He would not kill this child. He couldn't. Although he had dueled many Jedi, Vader had never killed force sensitive children and he didn't plan on starting, ever. After all, no Jedi could train himself. As long as they kept the children safe from the damned knights, there was no reason they all couldn't become model imperial citizens. It was a shame Palpatine wouldn't let him train an apprentice. Vader was the first to admit that he didn't really have the time to train anybody, but was saddened by the waste of talent. Especially in this case. And speaking of talent, it was time to know for sure the boy's potential.

'Doctor Connor, run a midichlorine count on a blood sample.' Vader instructed without taking his eyes off the boy's face. He was so beautiful. Vader could remember a time he and Padme had wanted children, their joy when she told him she was pregnant, and then the despair of having lost her and the baby.

Vader turned towards the doctor who was shaking the testing equipment in what was the most unprofessional gesture Vader had seen from the man. When he noticed he was being watched, the doctor looked up and smiled, grabbed another blood sample and reader, got to work, and proceeded to stare at the screen in annoyance.

'Lord Vader', the man announced not without a slight quiver to his voice. He was aware of his importance to the Dark Lord but the same Lord didn't take very well to incompetence. 'I'm afraid we're experiencing some technical problems. Why don't I get back to you an…'

'Do the readings not match?'

'No, Lord, they match, but… They're off the scale.' Connor continued puzzled. 'All three of them' he continued, trying to make Vader understand the proportion of their problem.

'How much?' Vader asked, anticipation and fear mixing in his voice.

'A little over 23,000.'anwered the doctor still preoccupied with the reader.

Vader stared at the doctor, and then at the child, hoping one of them would be able to offer an explanation. When none was forthcoming, he turned towards Connor and said: 'Have you been able to identify him?'

'No, Lord Vader, but if my opinion of his home world is correct we may not be able to do so. Some people just don't bother to register knowing they will never get off planet.'

'His condition is stable, no?' Vader asked and at a nod from the doctor continued. 'Have him moved to the chambers near my own. How long do you think until he wakes up?'

'A couple of days, no more. I gave him a weak sedative and he needed the rest but it shouldn't keep him unconscious for more than three days.'

'We'll have reached Coruscant by then' Vader said, almost to himself. And for the first time wished he didn't have to return to Imperial Center. For some reason he wanted to speak to the boy before he told the Emperor about him.

In a few hours, Luke had been moved to his new quarters, where he kept sleeping for the next two days. When Vader felt the presence in the next room begin to stir, he got up eager to meet the boy who had been in his thoughts these past days. He entered the room to find the child trying to get in a sitting position using sore muscles that had not been used for days.

'Owie!', a small voice said, and if it weren't for Vader's force enhanced hearing he wouldn't have caught it. Vader caught himself before he could crack another smile, reminding himself it would not do to get attached or be entertained by a boy whose future was so uncertain.

'Good morning!' Vader offered and was pleased to note that aside from starting when he heard a voice in the room he thought empty, the child did not flinch again when catching sight of him.

'Morning!' he said and offered a shy smile. 'Who are you?' he asked before clamping his hand over his mouth as though he wasn't supposed to ask that. Vader felt resignation coming from the small frame. The child clearly expected to be backhanded or yelled at and Vader couldn't stop thinking that was not the result of his last adventure. The urge to delve into the child's mind was great (the result of being used to satisfying his curiosity as he saw fit) but Vader was determined to treat with respect this little person who had so far treated him like a person.

'You may ask questions. If I do not wish to answer it is my right to do so, but you should not be afraid to speak your mind. I am Darth Vader.' At once the child's eyes became large but not with fear, never with fear ('What is wrong with this child?' thought Vader), only wonder and awe. 'Yes, THE Darth Vader' the Sith answered before Luke could open his mouth.

'Can you read minds?' the child asked intrigued.

'Yes I can, although I rarely choose to and in your case it was pretty obvious.'

'Can you tell what I'm thinking now?' Luke asked and before Vader could answer he was bombarded with a string of questions and thoughts 'I wonder what he ate to get so big. I wonder if I'll ever be that tall. Are we on a ship? Could I see hyperspace if I had a window? Where are we going? Where is everybody else? Am I in trouble? What is…'

'That's enough' Vader said a little louder than intended but was satisfied to feel the child's mind go blank. He could tell the boy hadn't really believed him when he said he could read minds.

'I'm sorry.' The boy began timidly. 'I'm sorry I didn't believe you. But …um….it was the thing grownups say. And they think they're so smart for making it up. Except that you didn't make it up. And I didn't mean any disrespect. I mean… '

'It's all right. Just don't do that again. It gives me a headache' Vader rumbled , now sorry for his tone, and taken aback because the child had lowered his head and kept muttering 'sorry'. When Vader reached for his chin the boy flinched and then returned to his position despite Vader's closeness. The Dark Lord sat unmoving reminding himself that doctor Connor said he encountered no signs of abuse that dated from more than a week back. The fact that his arm had once been broken only made him more ordinary as far as the doctor was concerned. But now Vader could see the signs of a rough home life where the child, even if he didn't live in fear was often punished and shouted at.

Vader had never comforted children not since he was a child himself and didn't know what to do. Fortunately, seeing that no punishment was coming, the boy had stopped muttering and was gracing him with a look from lowered eyes. Vader had retracted his hand and was now watching the child. He decided to resume their conversation.

'What planet are you from?' he asked as gently as his vocoder allowed it.

'Tatooine' the boy replied, his voice once again firm, if a little shy. _Probably forgot he wasn't supposed to remember_, Vader mused.

'Are you sending me back?' and even though Vader could feel that wasn't he only question he thankfully didn't voice any more. Vader could see it becoming a problem if the boy kept blurting out everything that passed through his head. The sheer volume could overcome anyone's patience and the Dark Lord was not particularly proficient in that area.

'Do you know where you live?' Vader asked and as the boy was clearly taking his time, pondering the implications of his answer he decided to help him 'Do you want to go back?' That had caught the boy's interest. After a while he began to answer.

'I may never get off planet again. But I would miss my aunt.'

'I am sure you will find your way out of there when you grow up if that is what you want. What about your parents?' Vader asked not understanding why he was trying to convince somebody to return to that dust ball for a few good years. _Because it would be dangerous for you to get involved and you know the Emperor will want him killed, and you don't want that, and maybe Palpatine will ask you to kill him and then what will you do?,_ a little voice inside his head said. Vader was to concentrated in not getting involved in the fate of the strongest being beside himself in the galaxy, that he failed to notice the return of the little voice which had been Anakin's companion throughout his Jedi training, the voice that questioned so many of the Jedi beliefs and still called him a fool when he turned to the dark side.

'They're dead.' Luke said in a defeated voice. _You just had to say it, didn't you? Just because you can't lie to save your life doesn't mean you can't shut up._ He chastised himself. There wasn't any chance Vader would take him somewhere else, now.

Vader nodded and got up. As he walked towards the door he decided there was no harm in knowing the boy's name. After all, there may be dozens of boys with the same name on Tatooine. He wasn't endangering him in any way. _Yeah, right, you already care about him_, the voice in his head supplied. _I do not, there is a difference between caring about what happens to somebody, in this case weather they live or die, and caring about somebody._

'What is your name?' Vader asked as the door opened._ And why do I feel the stirring of fate?_

'Luke' the child said with a bright smile 'Luke Skywalker.'

The door closed in front of him. Vader didn't move. _Yes!_


	6. Chapter 5

AN Thank you to all the people who reviewed. I tried to update as fast as I could, and I think it's a safe promise you won't have to wait a year for the next chapter either. I hope you won't get too upset about the Jedi bashing in this chapter, just remember it's all Vader's point of view. I do believe Jedi had a lot of good ideas both concerning the training of future Jedi and their role in the galaxy. The bad ideas however were an important point of both the Code and their way of life and led to their downfall.

CHAPTER 5

Vader would never remember making his way back to his chambers or what he did upon entering them. He felt like he was on autopilot as he sat in his chair in front of a screen detailing the results of a paternity test. He blinked and seamed to return to his senses. Still he made no move to signal this change. For one thing, the Dark Lord had no idea of how he should react. And until he determined that he couldn't perform said reaction. Was he happy, should he be grateful, perhaps fearful? Vader was also in shock. He had a son. A son that was not as happy or as well cared for like Vader would have wanted. A son who needed a better family than the one he had left behind. Vader decided that he would be that family. That before returning to Coruscant he would tell the truth to the boy and have his son live with him. The Dark Lord had learned long ago to ignore his emotions because he functioned better without them, unless said emotions were hatred and anger. In the long run it was always better to analyze the situation and make the appropriate decision and only later stop to disentangle the mess that were his feelings. He had perfected that process in such a way that now he rarely had any feeling to disentangle. With that in mind he started making the necessary preparations; he called his castle and ordered an officer to have a room near his own ready for a visitor. He also sent said officer to get a few change of clothes, leaving the bulk of the shopping his son needed for later. Having completed that Vader ran a search of the best schools on Coruscant, nothing less would do for his son.

Seeing there was nothing more Vader could do at the moment (_Nothing concerning your son, you mean. Don't you care about the rest though?_) his mind felt free to wander. So far he knew his son had grown up on Tatooine. That didn't mean he was born there. If only he could where he had been born Vader would at least have a lead to follow. For, what he wanted, even after all these years spent behind the hideous mask, was to know for sure what happened to his wife. Every report he had mentioned her as missing and presumed dead. After the search he himself had conducted there was little chance she was still alive, but he needed to know. He was sure Luke didn't remember her. The Jedi would have taken care of that. Even in hiding, Luke would have one day been expected to be trained and stand up (_You mean murder since Jedi don't believe in redemption. Not that you would ever need or want it._) to him and the Emperor. They had trained Anakin who had a strong bond with his mother, but they would not repeat that mistake.

Anger bubbled inside Vader, directed once more towards the Jedi who saw fit to rule his life and make decisions without him knowing there was something that needed to be decided in the first place. How dare they hide his wife and not let her contact him! How dare they keep his son away from him! How dare they lie to him and tell the boy his parents were dead! And send him to live on that miserable dustball he had practically no chance of leaving! Vader knew they were acting in what they perceived to be the galaxy's best interest. But just because it was the product of their 'superior' intelligence and 'vision' (_That never could see past the line between Light and Dark_) didn't make it right, legal, or even best for the galaxy. And it sure as hell didn't take into account how the persons in question – in this case Luke, Padme and himself – would be affected. That never did matter. At the thought that his own son would one day have been trained with the sole purpose of killing him (_Would they have told him he was to kill his own father? Or that they were the reason his father did not know of his existence?_) he felt hatred like no other for the Jedi, and especially one Jedi.

'Kenobi' Vader hissed the name of his former master, vowing once again to get revenge. Thanks to him, most people would not call Vader a man and Luke would not be able to see his father's face, or even what was left of it. He may take the boy to live with him and even introduce him to the Emperor and the not so savory aspects of an imperial leader's life, but Vader had no intention of horrifying his son by revealing his true appearance. He was too ashamed of it to begin with.

The Emperor would need to be told. Vader settled to wait until they reached the capital and only then call the Emperor. He would not be pleased, as the existence of such a powerful force user, even if he didn't know how to use the force, was disquieting at best and a threat at worst. Vader didn't want the Emperor to see his son as a threat as the old despot had a pretty standard way of dealing with threats.

_Don't you mind the fact that your son won't be trained? _

Of course I mind, he should be able to fulfill his potential.

_Are you willing to train him, then?_

I probably don't know enough to train him.

_And you don't remember your time with the Jedi, and all the things you thought you could do different, better, if only you would one day get the chance. This could be it. Your chance to train someone the way you consider best. Without repressing all emotions and without searching something to spur your anger in order to draw strength._

As if the Emperor would ever approve of that!

It was the next morning that Vader walked into the room his son occupied. Luke was still sleeping and Vader took a moment to look at the boy's peaceful face. He hoped Luke would be able to accept him as a father, because if he didn't they were both in for some rough years. The boy would have to learn to behave in a manner fit for his father's rank among the Imperial government and to be ready to kneel in front of the Emperor. Judging from the treatment Luke had received from his captors, the kneeling part would need some serious persuasion. From what he sensed in the boy's force presence, Vader knew his son was terribly stubborn.

Seeing that Luke showed no sign of waking and needing to get over with the most awkward part, Vader sat gingerly on the end of the bed. He gently shook the boy until he was finally greeted by two sleepy eyes and a mumbled 'Wha….' Seeing who it was that woke him, Luke sat up abruptly and forced his eyes wide open.

'Morning' he said smiling sheepishly.

'Good morning', Vader's ominous voice rumbled.

'I'm leaving?' Luke asked trying not to whine. His uncle used to cuff him when he did that. It was best to start acting as he should seeing he was going back.

'Yes, but not for Tatooine'

'Where will I go then?' asked Luke a little fearful. He didn't particularly enjoy Tatooine but at least he had a family there. Someone that would take care of him. Did he know for sure it would be better someplace else? No. He suddenly realized how stupid he had been. His reluctance to go back had made Lord Vader decide to send him elsewhere. Surely the Dark Lord would be angered if he told him he had changed his mind.

'Would you like to stay with me?' asked Vader leaving Luke gob smacked. _Somehow, I didn't see that coming, _thought Luke, and was surprised to see Vader's shoulders shaking in silent laughter. He smiled. Just one more thing he needed to know.

'What will I have to do?'

'Do?'

'Yes. Don't I have to work if I stay with you?'

'Absolutely not', said Vader in a tone that left no room for discussion.

'But, then, what will I do all day?' Luke knew he was missing the point here and although Vader seemed kind enough he wanted to know all the details. His aunt Beru always said that he had the tendency to dive headfirst into danger.Wouldn't she be proud to see him now?

'I expect you to go to school like any boy your age. Anything else you insist on doing will take place in your free time.'

Luke had liked school the one year he had attended. The classes in Anchorhead had children of different ages and he was among the youngest, so he didn't have any close friends, and Fixer and his friends always made fun of him. Still Luke relished the opportunity to learn, knowing it was the only way he could someday become a pilot.

'Then what do you gain by letting me stay?'

_This is it, try not to mess up, _Vader thought.

'What do you know about your parents, Luke?'

Luke felt the truth. It was floating at the edge of his mind but he couldn't quite grasp it. So he answered, hoping it would get him closer to it.

'My father died before I was born, and my mother died when I was two months old. I don't remember her, and I've never seen any holos of my parents. Uncle Owen never told me their names, but I heard him and Aunt Beru talking once… I asked her the next day and …my father's name is'

'Anakin Skywalker' finished Vader, surprised at the ease with witch that came out.

'Yes' said Luke.

'Luke, I suppose there is no easy way of saying this. I am your father.'

'But I thought…' Luke started, trying to defend the man he had known as a parent only by name. Vader held up his hand and Luke stopped, on the verge of tears.

'Listen to me. Not everything was a lie. Your mother is believed to be dead, and Anakin was your father. It was the name I had until I became Sith.- Darth Vader.'

Luke looked at his hands that were crossed in his lap. He had lost the battle with his tears. His father was alive! It was what he had always dreamed of. Why couldn't he be happy? What was wrong with him? Vader however appeared to see the problem.

'No, Luke, I never abandoned you. I didn't willingly let you on Tatooine. And ever since I found out about you I …' he stopped, unable to say the words. The words that had brought him so much pain – and love, and Luke. But so much pain. 'I never knew about you. Your mother disappeared before she could tell me she was pregnant, and until yesterday I had no idea I had a son, let alone who and where he was.' _The boy has a habit of focusing on his pain_ _to the point of ignoring all else_, noted Vader, recognizing the Dark Side potential in him.

'But you want me' said Luke in a small voice, needing to ask but not wanting to be heard saying it.

'Yes, I want you.'

Luke looked up and gave the Dark Lord a watery smile. It wasn't much but Luke felt he wouldn't have dared hug Vader even if he felt like it. It wasn't a totally happy smile and Vader noticed, but his feelings for Luke were still jumbled and he understood. _Or better said Luke has jumbled all your other feelings._Vader ignored the voice. He had always been good at ignoring things.

'Okay. I'll come with you.' said Luke.


	7. Chapter 6

DISCLAIMER: not mine, ain't making no money.

REVIEWERS: Thank you to all those who took the time to read and review my story and add it to your favorites. I'm afraid I'm too busy/lazy to answer you in any other way than a general one, what with school starting next week. I'll just keep the chapters coming, ok?

AN

You might have noticed that Luke has little trouble reading his father's mood or expression, even though they have been together for a very short time. I wanted to do this because it follows nicely with Luke feeling Anakin's pain after his duel with Obi-Wan, and shows both the strong connection between them and Luke's sensitivity to the living force. There's a little about Vader choking people because even though I appreciated your comment on Vader's humanity (thank you, that was exactly what I wanted to show) he has spent 4 years letting his anger and hatred get the better of him. He doesn't kill for pleasure or play with his victims (I don't want you to think of him as being deliberately cruel) but he doesn't shy away from it as a form of punishment or a means to an end. Still no Palpy, you'll have to wait for the next chapter. 

CHAPTER 6

Luke stood next to the neatly made bed. Vader, no his father, had told him he would come for him after they made orbit. Growing up on Tatooine you learned to do without a lot of things, and Luke had taken up daydreaming as a hobby. Now, however he was too nervous to play any imaginary game. Although he wouldn't admit it, especially now he found out his father was Darth Vader, Luke was terrified. He had left his home some time ago, but so far he had seen only the slave compound, the hull of the slavers ship, a misty forest and this room. Nothing that came even near to a city as big as Coruscant, which stretched across an entire planet. He also didn't know anyone except his father, and from what he knew of the Dark Lord's habits, he traveled a lot and wasn't what one would call the caring type. All his life Luke had loved his father and in the man's absence he had come up with a certain image to go with the name. Luke had thought up a strong and brave man who would tell him stories of all the places he had seen, who would laugh and play with him, who would take him to fly together, who would hug him and tuck him in at night. From what he had seen of Vader the man was kind enough, but Luke had a knack for distinguishing between emotions and had come to realize some years ago that kindness and affection were quite different. Still, Luke knew his father felt more for him that Uncle Owen ever would or could and the simple fact that the man was his father made him feel somewhat closer to the boy, more likely to put up with Luke and his constant blabbing and impossible dreams. Despite this, Luke was somewhat disappointed he hadn't got the whole package, and was annoyed with himself for feeling like that.

The door swished open and Luke was left to stare upwards at his father. He had known the dark Lord was tall, but only now this fact seemed to hit him. Aware that he was caught starring, Luke tried to mask his embarrassment. Unfortunately he chose to do so by blurting out the first thing on his mind.

'Do you think I'll grow as tall as you?' he asked in a hopeful voice and though the mask stayed frozen he thought he could fell Vader's amusement.

'Maybe, unless you take after your mother' Vader's good mood seamed to vanish as sudden as it began.

'But she wasn't what you would call short, was she?' insisted Luke, determined to get a reassuring answer for what had been one of the major problems in his short life.

Vader said nothing, but Luke tried to imagine him smiling reassuringly behind the mask. Why was it then that he could just as well picture him smirking?

Luke trailed behind his father as the two made their way towards the elevators. The few people who caught sight of them turned their heads to prevent themselves from staring. During the short time Vader had spent aboard the Avenger, he had become the new worst fear of all the officers, and the rest of the crew gave him a wide berth.

Vader knew that if he wanted to accomplish anything he needed both authority and for it to be acknowledged. Unfortunately, he often lacked the necessary time to prove to his subordinates that he was in command because of a certain reason or skill. In those cases he settled for impressing upon them the wisdom of fearing him – that way his orders were unchallenged and promptly executed. The present level of obedience and efficiency aboard the Avenger had been achieved after the swift demise of a communication officer who had put him on hold and the admiral who had protested at Vader's way of solving the problem. The rest had learned quickly that Vader's orders were given top priority and his actions never questioned, not even behind his back, as a former squadron commander who woke up one morning as part of the cleaning crew discovered.

Vader and Luke took a shuttle to the surface which Vader piloted himself, grateful to be back and relieved that after accepting his report, the Emperor hadn't requested his presence. Of course that might be explained by the fact that Vader hadn't mentioned Luke, but such sensitive information could only be delivered in person. And Vader told himself he really shouldn't alarm the army of spies that watched his every move in the Imperial Palace with an unscheduled visit. It was best to wait until Palpatine summoned him. Even if the Emperor might be slightly irritated by that time. It wasn't as if Vader was delaying informing the Emperor too much. Not more than a week.

The shuttle landed smoothly inside Vader's hangar and Luke felt his jaw drop to the floor. The hangar was the largest room Luke had seen so far and almost half of it was full with ships of every size and shape. Techs were working on some of them and droids were cleaning others. They all knew better than to interrupt their work when the ramp was lowered and Lord Vader stepped off it and onto the immaculate floor. They might have noticed a small boy walking a few steps behind the tall man, eyes wide, trying to take in everything he saw around him, but if they did, they soon forgot at a gesture from Vader just before the doors of the lift closed.

'Are those ships yours?' Luke appeared to have finally found his voice. Part of Vader felt sorry: he enjoyed the silence. It fitted the solitary life he had.

'Yes'

'All of them?' he asked excitedly.

'Yes'

'You don't talk much, do you?'

'I talk whenever I want to communicate something. As opposed to when I'm bored, excited, apprehensive, depressed, tired, curious and even asleep, which is what you do.'

'How do you know I talk in my sleep?' Luke went on without missing a beat. 'And you're wrong; I only talk when I have someone to talk to. That doesn't happen too often. Didn't happen until recently. Actually, Aunt Beru said I'm unusually quiet. Actually … I think I'll be quiet now.' He finished once Vader had stopped walking in favor of looking at him in a way that communicated how unimpressed he was with such behavior.

Two minutes and three corridors later Luke couldn't take the heavy silence any more. He knew from past experience that apologizing didn't make things better, sometimes it only made his uncle angrier, but it was nonetheless something that had to be done so the other knew you were sorry. All he wanted was to prevent a misunderstanding. After all, it wasn't like Vader could read his mind and know what he was about to say.

'I'm sorry.' Luke waited and reading no negative emotion because of his interruption, decided to go on. 'If you don't like me talking that much just tell me and I'll behave' _('I'm good at behaving like I'm told_' he thought sadly)'It's just that …, um… this is so new to me and so … much and….' He trailed off.

'Don't worry about it. I will tell you.' Said Vader and the air was easier to breathe.

'Will you teach me to fly them?' Luke asked, his good mood returning

'One day.' Vader said and was rewarded with a shy smile which he didn't acknowledge.

He was still bothered about how easily he had brushed aside the boy's 'you're wrong'. Coming from anyone beside the Emperor such impolite open defiance would have ended with the death of the fool daring to question him. He was still upset, could feel his eyes narrowed but he felt no need to punish the boy. Except for some serious lessons in manners and protocol. (_Thank the Force we have time for that before he meets the Emperor or anyone else._) That upset him even more. Before he could dwell on the new standard which had appeared for Luke's sake alone, they arrived at the room he had prepared for the boy. Vader entered the code and set the door to recognize Luke's hand print. The door opened and the two remained standing on the threshold because Luke seemed to busy to enter. He cast his eyes over the large bed in the center of the room, the couch, the long worktable that had a terminal at one end finally settling on the small plant by the window. Vader who had followed his gaze said:

'I'll get someone to take that out.'

'NO, I like it' Luke said and crossed the room over the fluffy rug finally coming to a stop in front of the small green bush.

'You can get something that looks better and actually fits the size of the pot' Vader reasoned.

'No, I like this one' Luke insisted, a note of finality in his voice.

Small warning signs went off in Vader's head. _'A plant, I ask you. Why would anyone feel the need to fight for a plant? I have one child, whose position in life is delicate at best, with much of the decision whether he lives depending on what the Emperor thinks of him and he is as stubborn as' … 'Me?' _the little voice in his head supplied_. 'Shut up!_' thought Vader and was answered with laughter. A content sort of laughter.

'Very well' he said out loud. 'Then you'll have no problem taking care of it. If it lives by the end of the month you will get something that actually resembles a decorative plant, rather than a traffic accident.' Vader had felt Luke's decision to 'compromise' by agreeing to 'let' him get another plant in addition to the one already here.

'Thank you. I like the room' Luke tried to convey his gratitude.

'It is rather large for someone your age but mine is across the hall and I wanted you close by.' There was the slightest warning in his voice and Luke thought his father rather expected him to misbehave.

Luke didn't do that often, but sometimes strange things happened around him. Uncle Owen used to get mad; Luke only hoped his father would continue to be more lenient. He certainly appeared like that, what with answering his questions, not even cuffing him when he was displeased and letting him keep Jo. (He had already named the plant) Uncle Owen would have taken it away just because he had said so, no matter what reason he had or what better solution Luke came up with. Luke hoped he didn't get to see Vader mad because of him. He liked him so far and thought that with a little work they could get along fine, even if they wouldn't end up the best of friends. For some reason that made him sad. Luke had accepted that this was his father – the real father, not just a dream and despite some obvious lacks, it was still heaps better than living on Tatooine. So he was grateful, and a little sad. But that was all right. He could be happy here. Even if his father wasn't very affectionate and endlessly patient.

'The fresher is through that door' Vader said after a moment. 'You can have food delivered to your room, but I want to show you where you can eat if you don't want to do it here. There are some clothes in there; I will have someone take you shopping for more tomorrow. Take a shower and I will come for you in an hour.'


	8. Chapter 7

AN

- Luke is 6 right now (he was 2 in the first chapter).

- I don't know when the next chapter will be up; I haven't written it yet and I don't know how much free time I will have in the immediate future (I'm doing two majors and I'll need some time to sort out my classes)

CHAPTER 7

Vader sat in his hyperbaric chamber as his mask was being removed. He tried to impress some order on the thoughts that ran rampant through his head, and attempted to meditate. Clearing his mind and achieving a state of calm had never been among his favorite pastime activities, but in recent years he had come to understand the importance and enjoy the relaxing effect of meditation. Right now, his achieving that state was prevented by the presence that flickered at the edge of his consciousness. Luke. Vader was more worried than he let even himself know. The boy was kind and had a good heart. He was also unaware of the many dangers that existed and especially the ones that came with his new life. His lack of tact and cunning could be fatal, especially now, that the Empire could have no use for him. Vader didn't want to plead for his son's life with the argument of turning Luke into a servant of the Emperor. Faced with that option he would rather the boy remained untrained. Of course, Vader would tell him about the Force and show him how to shield his presence and thoughts so as not to draw the attention of every semi trained force sensitive or Jedi on the planet.

Having bathed and suited-up, Vader left the chamber and called for an Aide. Making sure he understood his new responsibilities, Vader took him to Luke's room where the boy was waiting impatiently.

'Luke, this is Max Devon', Vader said 'He will take you shopping tomorrow and show you around the castle until you are familiar with it. There are areas where you cannot enter, but as of tomorrow you will have access to all the rest. I want you to stay away from my personal chambers and not disturb the people who work here. Devon will take you whenever you want to go out and you may go to him with whatever question you have.' Vader waited for Luke to nod and then continued, addressing the man 'You will leave at 10:00 and I want you back by 18:00. You will have other opportunities to tour the city.'

With that he dismissed the Aide and turned towards Luke.

'I want you to understand that Devon is not your servant, you may not order him around, and he can deny any request he considers unreasonable or inappropriate. He is merely meant to help you settle in and has other duties beside these, so don't bother him unnecessarily.'

The castle was impressive in both size and beauty. While not richly decorated or particularly inviting it was done in exquisite taste with artifacts from every corner of the galaxy. Would Qui-Gon be able to enter Vader's home, he would have been filled with hope – it looked like little Anakin was still set on seeing all the planets and strong enough that Vader was well aware what was going on. Vader led Luke to a greenhouse and watched a smile light the boy's face. So he had assumed correctly that coming from a desert planet Luke would be fascinated with everything alive. If nothing else, Vader wanted to offer his son a better life than the one he left as well as the possibility to fulfill his dreams and be happy. But first, there were some things he needed to understand.

'Luke, how much do you know about the way the Empire works?'

'Huh?' he asked absentmindedly, but turned around to face Vader.

'It is probably best that you are completely ignorant. The Emperor's name is Palpatine, he is a Sith and my Master. I am also a Sith and although I have no military rank I am the second man in the Empire. I only take orders from the Emperor. He usually sends me to supervise military operations and oversee certain projects. Do you understand so far?' A nod.

'A Sith is someone who uses the Dark Side of the Force. The Force is an energy field that surrounds us everywhere. Those trained in the ways of the Force are able to access that energy and direct it in a way that is useful to them – they can enhance their reflexes, they can levitate objects, sometimes they can see into the future'

'You can read minds, can't you?' Luke asked, suddenly making a connection.

'Yes, unless the other person is shielding his thoughts or if his mind is too different and thus hard to understand.'

'So the Emperor can read my thoughts?' Luke asked not a little fearful.

'He could, although I doubt he is doing it. For one thing, even the strongest force user needs to be within a certain distance of the target. The other side of the planet is too far.' Vader hoped Luke would never be on the other side of one of Palpatine's mind probes. It was both painful and demeaning, to feel the other presence invade your most private thoughts and dig around, not something a six year old should have to experience. For Vader himself it was bad enough that Palpatine seemed to always know his feelings and reasons without having the other invade his mind for proof.

'I didn't get the energy part, sorry,' said Luke with a slight frown, apparently unaware of the other's darkening mood.

'You are still young. Some concepts you will not understand until you grow older while others need time and experience to become clear.'

'So I'm going to learn this er, … how to do all that stuff' he asked hopefully.

'Luke, I only told you so much because I want you to understand some of my abilities. But there are some things I want you to remember, and these are very important, so try not to forget them, ever.' Luke nodded. 'First of all, not everybody has these abilities, in fact, very few do. The Emperor and I have them, and so do you. Secondly, you need to be trained for a number of years before you can control them. Thirdly, according to the laws of the Sith there can only be two at a time: a master and an apprentice. The Emperor is my master so he can forbid me to train you, and there is a big chance that he will do just that.'

'So you won't train me.' Luke said disappointed. He had hoped to spend more time with his father doing something that only the two of them could, something which could not be delegated to some other aide or teacher. Vader fought the urge to sight.

'Probably not. Not now in any case. Perhaps later.'

'What if the Emperor dies and you are alone?' and Vader felt fear for the first time in years. It was a chilling thought that he could lose his son, that Luke's life could end because of so little as a misplaced thought.

'Listen to me, Luke. Never, ever, say that again! Don't even think about it! Don't even dream about it! That's treason and it's punished with death.'

'But it's true!' Luke exclaimed outraged. 'Everybody dies!'

'Luke, have you heard what I said?' Vader was shaking him now.

'Yes, but…' he meekly replied.

'There is no "but". The Emperor is very powerful. He is the most powerful being in this galaxy. He is easily offended and never forgets or forgives. To defy him will only bring your destruction. Do you want to die?!!'

Luke was speechless. He felt he was back in his room aboard the Avenger when he realized how much worse than home some places could be and Vader told him he would not go back to Tatooine. Only this time it was worse. Back on the Avenger he could have found a way back home. But now there was no way back. For better or for worse this was his home, in the line of vision of a man who would kill him for the slightest mistake, a man whom, from what he had heard so far, he had every chance of disliking.

DO YOU WANT TO DIE? The question still rung in his ears. He didn't mean to scare his son like that but Luke HAD to understand that for all his power and mastery of the Force, Vader would not be able to protect him from the Emperor if Luke opposed him. The danger was greater for Luke because he was Vader's son and force sensitive. The Emperor would not be satisfied with anything but complete obedience from someone who had the potential to become a Jedi, even if Luke remained untrained until the day he died.

DO YOU WANT TO DIE? Luke could not believe his father had asked him that. When fighting or arguing with other kids, swearing and threatening would be part of it. It was not the first time he had been asked this question, but it was the first time the other meant it. If he hadn't been so scared Luke would have noticed that Vader was also in a state of panic. As it was, he noticed neither the desperation in his father's voice as he knelt before him, nor Vader's fear that was practically unshielded. All Luke could do was lower his eyes, shake his head, and think stubbornly _'He shouldn't be able to do that!'_

Luke returned from his shopping with Max and had dinner alone in the large room because his father didn't show up. He wondered if this was how things would be from now on. He was not allowed in his fathers' room and had no way of knowing where the man was, or if he even was in the castle. A lot less cheerful than when he arrived, Luke made his way to his room where all the day's purchases had been neatly arranged. He went to sleep hoping to see his father in the morning and tell him about his day and ask him if he could visit Coruscant with Max that day. In the morning, Luke ate alone again and decided to find Max and ask him where Vader was.

Vader had been in his chamber when Luke arrived the day before, and watched the recording of his son making his way to the small dining room. He had planed on joining him but Palpatine had summoned him for the next morning and Vader didn't think he could hide his anxiety. He left early for his meeting with the Emperor and waited for thee hours before he was granted admission into the throne room, a clear sign that Palpatine was displeased.

Vader knelt in front of his master and waited for him to speak.

'What is a boy doing in your castle, Lord Vader?' a cold voice asked. Vader, not having been allowed to rise, remained on his knee, head bowed.

'He was among the cargo of slaves we captured. I wish to offer him a home.' All very true, Vader thought, trying to build up to the uncomfortable truth.

'And the reason they weren't all transported to Kessel?'

'They were all children, Master, and half were in the shuttle we lost', replied Vader evenly, knowing the Emperor was already aware of these facts.

'What interest have you in this child?' Palpatine's tone indicated he suspected something. His spies must have only found out about Luke's presence in the castle, not the reason for it. _'Or his last name. I'm sure that would have rung a bell for Palpatine_', Vader thought. For his part, Palpatine was sure there must be something behind wanting to offer a home for an orphan, and he had a feeling he wouldn't like it one bit.

'He is my son, Master.' There was no outward sign of surprise, but the darkness around the throne deepened.

'Your son?' Vader was silent.

'How old is he?' Palpatine leaned forward in his seat.

'He is 6 years …' but Vader didn't get a chance to finish.

'He is no son of yours! Skywalker's spawn has no place in your castle. He must know his father is dead!' As Vader offered no response, Palpatine realized that the brat did indeed not know Skywalker was dead. And, most disturbing, the one to blame for it was Vader. Vader, who was supposed to have killed Skywalker, and who assured the Emperor there was no trace of the former Jedi left in the galaxy, least of all behind the black mask. The Emperor had not been this displeased in a long time. He allowed himself to sink into the throne and regard his kneeling servant. Vader had not corrected him, yet he appeared to want the brat.

'Kill him', he said in a bored voice.

'Master … he is force sensitive', Vader pleaded. This was interesting, not the child, but Vader's reaction.

'And there is your reason. You must terminate his life immediately.' Palpatine was not scared; couldn't be scared by a child, but Vader's behavior irritated him and with perverse pleasure he sought to tear away the Dark Lord's newly acquired project, as painfully as possible. The child would never be trained, whether he lived one more day or a hundred years, but Palpatine felt the need to crush Vader's hope for a future for him.

'Master, I want him to live.' Vader said carefully.

'I want him to die.' The simple response. Vader would never openly defy him or disobey a direct order. 'Should you be unable to do so, you will bring him here tomorrow and I will do it for you.' Palpatine was not threatening. He knew Vader was well aware of his superior power and would bow to his wish, as always.

'Master, I would …'_ 'You would what? Think, damn it! You need his permission, Luke cannot die. You can't watch it happen but Palpatine is stronger and always will be. But you are a SITH too. You will not be ignored so easily!'_

Vader rose to his feet and looked into his master's cold eyes.

'What do you require in exchange for his life, Master?'

'I will think of something Lord Vader', he replied at length. 'Make sure he doesn't receive any training in the mean time. You may leave.'

What would he require in return? Palpatine didn't know. He was too surprised at the new strength Vader had found and was facing him with.


	9. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.

AN

Now that Episode 3 is coming up, several **differences** will appear between 'Journey Beyond Darkness' and canon. I don't intend on going back to change anything, but I might take into account the new facts revealed in ROTS. Unless of course they contradict the action that I had in mind. That is to say that if I fancy using a character that canon says should be dead or have a different history, I won't go by canon.

As a rule I won't advertise **spoilers** or point them out IF they become part of the fic, some of what I have already written may unwillingly contain them. I have no idea if that is the case. The point is, unless you read spoilers you won't know you're being spoiled. (I generally try not to read them but my curiosity gets the better of me sometimes. I am however proud of staying away from anything concerning Padme's fate and hereby ask you not to include spoilers in your reviews.)

I don't know if any of you noticed, but this fic has some **similarities** with the 'Force Bond' series. Yes, I have read the series, thrice actually, I believe I have them among my favorites, and I don't intend to plagiarize KittandChips. I enjoyed her writing (as well as all 'Vader finds young Luke', or just 'young Luke' fics), but I think there are plenty of differences, which will only grow (I intend on killing Palpatine a LOT sooner and having the twins meet as kids) as the fic progresses. The reason I'm writing this is that although the plot isn't new, there aren't nearly enough fics of this type and none have the exact details and development I would like to see. So I'm writing my own!

CHAPTER 8

Vader returned to the castle in a bad mood. The meeting with the Emperor had equally unsettled and angered him. He was by no means satisfied by his Master's final response and his inability to do something – anything, filled him with quiet rage. Vader had never demanded the two of them be equals, and since things were so much better than during the Republic, he felt no desire to rule. He may be content with doing his master's bidding (_Most of the time_) but there were matters in which he had an opinion and did not appreciate Palpatine overriding his wishes just because he was the Master.(_Especially since he seems to be doing it just to spite you!_) The more he thought about it the angrier he became. He didn't care that Palpatine might be 'monitoring' him after their little talk to gauge his reactions; after all, wasn't anger the way of the Dark Side?

His one reason for craving power had been the desire to be able to control circumstances that ordinary people (and Jedi) had no control over. To be prepared for, powerful enough and able to change what to all others appeared set in stone, to shape the future according to his will. Four years later he hadn't achieved that level of control. His power had grown and so had his control of it, he commanded it easier, and at moments he genuinely _felt _the Force in a way he never before had, and was pretty sure no Jedi had, either. The Force was not sentient; it was too _rich_, too _vast _for it to be encompassed by one conscience. Rather it was like several consciences, continually bleeding into each other, mixing and separating at the same time. Vader suspected that whoever managed to shift them all, give them one direction for a moment in time, would command power beyond the wildest dreams of both Jedi and Sith. Sometimes he dreamed of achieving it. Most often he remembered how few those glimpses into the nature of the Force had been, and how he never managed to do more than _glimpse_ the riveting colors. For all his effort he could not touch them and nothing he tried produced any resonance within the whirlwind.

He was so caught up in his thoughts he didn't even notice as he passed Luke. Thinking his father was in a hurry, Luke decided following him, after all, he could ask what he wanted to know while walking by the Dark Lord's side. Half a corridor later Luke decided on another approach as his father's long strides had left him behind. Luke returned to the room saddened by his father's callous attitude while silently berating himself for always wanting the impossible: in this case, his father's affection and interest in him. He hoped school would bring cause for that. That night, Vader came to announce he was leaving in the morning and would be gone a week. He gave Luke the number of his comm unit and discouraged the boy from calling for anything short of an emergency, and left before Luke could ask how he was getting to school.

Two days later Luke sought Devon to ask him for a ride. He hoped he would find a friend at school because otherwise he might go for weeks without having someone to talk to. He had tried approaching a pair of Stormtroopers only to be sent away. The same had happened when he told the techs in the hangar he wanted to help, or when he started asking a Lieutenant about his work. On the other hand he had become very polite to the droids who brought him food. He no longer used the comm, but summoned a droid to his room and gave him the order, he always thanked the departing droid who brought him food, and even attempted to start a conversation with a pair of them who seemed more opinionated on not serving him only sweets three times a day. He had a suspicion his father had had something to do with their programming.

Luke found Devon in the hangar. Apparently he had just arrived as he was parking one of the speeders.

'Hello Luke!' They had decided to call each other be their names and forgo all titles.

'Hi Max! Do you know how I'm supposed to get to school tomorrow?'

'Yes. I will drive you. Hasn't Lord Vader told you yet?'

'He's away.' Luke made no effort to conceal his disappointment.

'Then I suppose he didn't have time to tell you. You have been enrolled in all compulsory courses. He has spoken personally to the principal, and you are to go by the name Luke Skywalker. Any other activities you wish to participate in will be decided after the first month. You will have to ask your father about those because he probably needs to sign the papers. I can look them up if you wish.'

'Yes, please!' Luke said at once. He knew from school on Tatooine that there were few classes and since he had nothing better to do in the castle he might as well spend more time at school. At lest there he could do something interesting.

'I see he had time to tell you about it.' Luke mumbled as they got inside the elevator.

'He just sent me a datapad' Max said mildly. He could understand the child's want for attention, but Lord Vader had a job to do, one that didn't leave much time for such distractions as children. It was unfortunate for the boy, but hardly uncommon, especially among the Coruscant elite. Hopefully he would make some friends who wouldn't lead him wrongly and who would keep his mind away from aspects of his life he had no hope of changing.

The building Max flew him to the next morning was very small compared to its imposing neighbors. Two pairs of Stormtroopers were stationed at the gate they entered, and Luke could see others, all guarding the exits. On the premises, however there were only droids. Max left him at the reception, where Luke received a copy of his timetable and a map of the building. Upon entering the classroom, Luke noticed that half the seats were already taken, so he chose an empty one near the door. Two girls in the back noted his choice of seating and laughed. Luke paid them no attention and took a cautious look around. Most of the children were talking among themselves and paid him no attention. There were a few who regarded him with interest, but after seeing he made no move towards them, switched their interest to other things. Had he made a mistake?

His mounting uneasiness was interrupted by a pair of boys who chose that moment to walk in. One pushed the other so he collided with the doorframe and dropped his bag. The aggressor, a human with gray eyes and a pale face, laughed and took a seat near Luke. He pulled out his data pads and opened his terminal, when he suddenly noticed Luke. The other, a tall human with dark hair and dark eyes, after picking himself off the floor, sat in front of Luke and then, turning around extended his hand:

'Jarred Ryce.'

'Luke Skywalker.' Excitement coursed through him.

'This gaping fellow is Kendal Mirrays'

Kendal who had recovered from his most undignified stance spoke up:

'Nice to meet you. Sorry about that. It's just that … you look so much like a holo my cousin has. He's obsessed with racing and collects holos of the champions. Spends thousands on them, too, as most of them have to be brought from other worlds cause the guy never got off planet! Anyway, he has a holo with some kid … can't tell you his name … or what he flies, he's just a little older than us, and'

'All right, all right! I think he accepts your apology.' Turning to Luke, Jarred said:

'You want to be careful with him. Once you get him started, and he doesn't even have to like/be interested in/know the subject, there's no stopping him!'

Luke just smiled.

'That's ok, good to know I'm not alone here.'

Their talk was cut short as the instructor walked in, told them they had a new student, sated his name and promptly got to business.

At lunch Luke sat with his new friends and noticed that no one else spared him a look. Jarred noticed his confusion and asked:

'You didn't introduce yourself, did you?'

'No. should I have?' Luke asked, alarmed he had made a grave mistake.

'No. they're snobs. You don't want to talk to them anyway. All they know is which of their parents got promoted and how they'll all grow up to be senators and governors.'

'I still don't understand. This morning they seamed to expect something from me, and now it's like I don't even exist.'

'That's because you don't. Not in their books anyway. They only socialize with kids whose parents have the same standing as theirs. Someone like that would have gone to them and introduced himself, or rather his parents. Then you would all be best buddies before you grew old enough to start backstabbing each other for power', Jarred finished grimly.

'Since you didn't go to them they assumed you don't have an equal or greater standing, therefore they ignore you', Kendal supplied.

'Or that you don't know the rule which is even more embarrassing', Jarred added between mouthfuls. 'Where are you from, anyway?'

'Tatooine.' They both paused.

'Tatooine isn't in the Empire. Not really.' Kendal said carefully.

'So?' Luke failed to see the problem.

'So how can you be the kid of an official from Tatooine? Only Stormtroopers live there.'

'Oh, my father lives on Coruscant. I've been staying with some relatives until now, and they live on Tatooine.'

'Oh', Jarred said and Luke could feel them both relaxing.

'You should be more careful. Don't say you're from over there. Makes people wonder. Better say Coruscant. There are enough officials here that no one will ask for details. All you have to do is appear self assured and try not to cross anyone', Kendal advised. 'You should be careful, especially around that lot', he said gesturing towards a table where four boys and two girls sat, 'any "offence" or "displeasure" they suffer from you will be reported and they could get your father in trouble.'

'Who are they?' Luke asked, craning his neck for a better view.

'Their parents are the Emperor's current favorites. The girls and the bothans are children of senators, and the other two are closely related to some Moff', Kendal said. 'If you want to know how to act around them, just imagine how your father would act around their parents. Everybody does.'

Luke imagined himself striding along the corridors, his cape billowing behind him and looking imposing at his 1.20m. He burst into laughter.


	10. Chapter 9

AN Sorry for the long wait, I hope this chapter makes it up partly. I also promise it won't be so long until the next update. I don't have the next one written, but I'm more certain where things are headed. The good news is I have almost two later chapters written, and I can't wait to post them. Between them and the urging reviews I have all I need to get me going. With a final thanks to my reviewers, here it is:

CHAPTER 9

Vader was gone for the next two months, so Luke couldn't get his forms for the optional courses signed. He had tried sending several awkward messages, but either Vader didn't bother with his mail, or he was ignoring Luke. So it happened that Kendal and Jared had started Dueling and Martial Arts without him. What bugged Luke the most were the piloting classes they were all three years too young for, but Vader could have got them in. he tried to tell himself that was the only reason he wanted the man back on Coruscant.

'Hey, Luke, where are you going?' asked Jared.

'Home, why?'

'Kendal's parents are out and he asked us over to his place for a few holo games. My father probably won't let me, but you could go. Have a good time for both of us.'

'Thanks, but I don't know if I'm allowed. Besides, I have no one to ask since my father is off world and Max is on leave,' Luke said gloomily.

'But that's great!' Jared exclaimed.

'What is', Kendal joined them in the hall 'Are you both coming?'

'Nah, probably negative for me, but Luke here has a green light. No authority on the premises.'

'Perfect, here's the address. I expect you around 17:00' Kendal held out a datapad which Luke reluctantly accepted.

'You guys, I told you I don't know if I'm allowed'

'Look, we aren't going to do anything stupid since my parents will be back tomorrow, and if your father is away he doesn't even need to know. It's like those situations when you don't know if something is illegal because there is no law that says so.'

'Em, Kendal, most of those things would be illegal if there was a law.'

'That is _so_ beside the point! No law, no crime. In our case: no father, no need for permission. What do you say Luke? Come on, be a little reckless!'

'Okay.'

They all smiled.

'Say, Jared, when are you going to stand up to your father the way Luke just did?' Kendal asked innocently and got a dirty look in return.

Luke was at Kendal's after a long day playing the latest holo games, so that the other boy wouldn't have a head start. They were alone because Jared's parents hadn't allowed him to come along – again. Apparently this wasn't unusual at all, since Kendal was resigned and very happy to have company at all. Since his parents were now at a party in honor of some military victory, they were left with a protocol droid.

'I should probably head home' said Luke glancing at the chrono, after he pulverized Kendal the third time in a row.

'All right, do you want me to send C7-PW with you?'

'No, it's just a short walk.' After the first week, when Luke had spent the nights studying maps of Coruscant, he had a very easy time getting around.

'If you're sure…' His friends, however, didn't seem to believe how fast he'd got his bearings of the planet and always offered to escort him.

'I am'

'And you still won't tell me where you live' Ah, the one subject that was still enveloped in mystery. Not that they had asked for his father's name, since 'Luke's dad' worked just fine.

'Just around the third Endel Tower'

'Luke', he sighted exasperated, 'that's like saying you live on the eastern half of the planet.'

'Less than a mile from the tower.'

'You do know that includes the History Museum and Vader's castle?'

'Urgh! Don't say that word!'

'What? History?' Kendal said with a smile.

'It's not funny! I'm gonna fail it. Bye Kendal, bye PW'

'See you tomorrow.'

Half an hour later Luke was home where an unusual amount of activity was going on. _'What the…?'_ he asked himself barely avoiding being run over by an aide. The man took another step and froze. He turned around and stared at Luke as though he was the answer to all his problems. He began a fast stride, grabbing Luke's arm as he passed him by, leading the boy towards the elevator.

'Hey, let go of me!'

Before they got there, however, the doors swished open and Vader stepped out.

'I have found him, My Lord!'

'I do believe you ran into him on your way out' Vader calmly countered, and Luke got the impression that was not what he wanted to say at all, that he was holding back.

'My Lord,' the man bowed and Vader dismissed him with a gesture.

For a moment there was silence, then: 'Come with me'

_'How did I know he was going to say that,' _Luke asked himself with a fond smile. Vader didn't say anything until they were inside Luke's room.

'Where have you been?'

'At Kendal's place. When did you get back?'

'Three hours ago. That is how long everybody in the castle has been looking for you. Is there any reason no one had any idea where you were?'

'Who was I supposed to tell? Max is on leave and no one else talks to me. Except for the droids in the kitchens' he added as an afterthought.

'So I take it his is a regularly occurrence?' At Luke's puzzled look he said 'Do you usually get back at 22:00?'

'No, I'm usually home by eight' Luke said defiantly.

'Who else was there?'

'Just us', said Luke who by now was starting to feel hurt that Vader hadn't asked him how he had been. 'Jared would have come but his parents never let him out'

'And you never wondered at that? I know you are only ready to question everything.'

'I haven't asked you why you didn't call, or why you didn't sign my forms, or when you were coming back!' he last was shouted.

'You are upset' Vader remarked.

'Yes, I'm angry. You said you were my father! Why did you bring me here if you don't care about me!' shouted Luke and Vader could see his son was close to tears. 'And I'm not crying' he shouted at the man just as a tear was making its way down his cheek.

Then Vader did something he had never done before, not as a young boy, neither as a Jedi. He looked at his anger and decided that although it had been justified and part of him wanted Luke to fell sorry for having caused it, he would lay it aside without giving it another thought. And he would do that not because Luke's anger was equally justified (something he didn't want to admit), but because this argument was hurting the boy.

Vader kneeled in front of Luke and taking his hand he gently guided him to the bed. The boy sat down and fixed his gaze on the floor. 'I'm sorry', he said. Vader had to remind himself that his son was only six and perhaps he still had a difficult time adapting. He had thought of Luke while he was away, despite all his efforts not to. In the end he had admitted to himself that the thought of his son didn't disturb or hinder his work, quite the opposite. It gave him something to look forward to; it was a companion to his solitude, and an easing of the constant pain his life had become. Still, he hadn't called Coruscant once. He wondered why that was. Was it that he was accustomed to not being able to communicate with his loved ones? Was he accepting the same restrictions that had governed his relation with his mother and Padme for his relation with Luke? And just when had he started accepting everything life handed him?

'Luke, please listen to me because this is important' His only answer was a weak sniff. 'I do not want a repeat of today. I do not want to wonder where you are and if you are all right every time I return to Coruscant. You have seen little of the planet and right now think it is beautiful, and probably want to explore more of it', Vader remembered how it had been when he first arrived in the capital. 'But this planet is dangerous, especially for someone so young, and I do not want you to fall prey to its 'inhabitants'. You may thank the Force that so far it has kept you safe, if you've been wandering the streets alone at night. I already have a copy of your schedule, and I want you to check in with me or Lieutenant Devon when you wish to go out. You will not go or return unaccompanied no matter the hour. And you will certainly be home by seven.'

Had he just called the castle home? Well, it was Luke's home, so it was his as well. Still, part of him felt a pang of regret for the home his son could have had on Naboo. Come to think of it, he could send Luke there on holidays; he was sure his son would enjoy the lakes. Seeing that no response was forthcoming, he prompted: 'Luke?'

'All right' the child agreed. 'Can I go to Kendall after class tomorrow?'

Vader thought for a minute. It was past ten. Luke should have let someone know where he was, even if he hadn't been previously instructed. But that meant he shouldn't be actually grounded.

'No, you'll be staying home tomorrow.' Surprisingly enough there was no argument or sulk. But he still felt uneasy. 'Luke, I am doing this for your own good'

'I know, but…'

'But?'

'But you're hardly ever here. It's very easy to forget you care about what I do.'

'Luke, no matter where I go or what I do, I will always care about your welfare and happiness. You are the most important person to me.'

'More important than the Emperor', the child asked shyly.

'Yes, more important than the Emperor.'

Luke bowed his head to hide a smile.

'Will you tell me when you live Coruscant?'

'Yes. You probably should know where I am in case of an emergency', Vader said and Luke knew that was as close to an admission of error as he was going to get.

The next day at school Luke was sitting with Jared and Kendal explaining why he wouldn't be there the first time Jared's parents let him out.

'I still don't understand how you can be happy for being grounded', Jared said.

'I'm not grounded. I just didn't get permission to come', Luke said.

'How is that good? I haven't been torturing you, actually I've been pretty sporting letting you beat me like that' Kendal said.

'Yes, but my dad's back'. Seeing their blank looks: 'he's been away for two months!'

'I wish my father would be so accommodating. He almost never leaves Coruscant. You'll see, in a couple of weeks you'll wish your father would leave again.'

'I'll never wish for that!' said Luke seriously, and he knew it to be true.

Luke couldn't believe his luck when he met Vader in the hangar the very same day. The Dark Lord was tinkering with one of his many ships, so Luke concluded he was in a fair mood. This was the moment to approach him about those courses.

'Er,…um', he realized he had never addressed the man. But now that he needed not just his attention but also his benevolence he would have to find something other than 'hey'. Settling for the most logical option he said:

'Father?' Apparently Luke had overestimated the man's ability to tell when he was near, because as soon as he spoke Vader jumped, hitting his head on the open canopy. Luke stifled a giggle.

Vader let his annoyance show, in the hope of distracting Luke from the most undignified incident since, … since he had donned the suit. _'So nothing silly happened in over six years. I should be thankful, not sad. What the hell is wrong with me?' _Out loud he said: 'Yes?'

'Kids at school can chose optional courses, so could you sign a form that says it's ok for me to take some?'

Not for the first time Vader wondered if Luke's accent and speaking manner hadn't got him into trouble. He remembered only too well his first weeks at the temple and how fast he had learned the Coruscant accent out of embarrassment. Luke didn't seem to have such problems. This only made Vader wonder about the two friends he heard mentioned the day before. It was rare of children to be charitable. Unless of course it was a result of a 'devil may care attitude'. He had a thought:

'Are your friends from Corellia by any chance?'

'What does that have to do with anything! You're not going to forbid me to see them, are you?' Luke was outraged,' Because they're the only nice people around.'

'So they are your friends because they are handy, and were kind to you?'

'No. I like them. They're fun. Jared knows all this stuff about flying and races; he has an older cousin, who is a bit obsessed, and Kendal helped me a lot the first days and he doesn't mind when I pulverize him at 'Sieges and Starfighter12…' Luke realized his father was silent and wondered whether he had upset the man by babbling again. Vader took a few seconds to process all that and said:

'I suppose you haven't told them about me'

'Well,' Luke looked unsure. 'Most kids are snobs. I didn't want them crowding me because of who you are. I told Kendal and Jared that I live with my father and that I grew up on Tatooine with some relatives'

'You are uncomfortable with this subject' Vader observed.

'I …yes. It's true what I said but,….People have these ideas about you. Some of them are plain stupid, while others might be true, I wouldn't know', he added hoping his father would realize his need for more information, 'but you can't tell them anything because then they get all weird. I mean, I told this kid that I'm pretty sure you don't sacrifice ten year old slaves every week to some crazy god from Rodia, and the way he looked at me was like saying: 'Well, he wouldn't tell _you_ that', or 'How do you know your information is better than mine?' that's why I didn't try to talk to Kendal or Jared, although there're not so stupid.'

Vader didn't know whether to laugh or be appalled at the lack of respect.

'I see' and prompted by curiosity 'Does the emperor get the same treatment?' Luke thought for a moment.

'Not really, they almost never talk about him. Most are more scared of him, and he doesn't get out much. I'm not going to meet him, am I?'

'Not anytime soon. What did you want to talk about?' did his father just change the subject?

'Optional courses: dueling and martial arts. And could you get me into piloting even if I'm three years too young? Oh, and Kendal and Jared too'

'You don't need dueling and piloting. I'll teach you those myself. You may take martial arts if you like. Do you have the form?'

'Yes', said Luke, producing the datapad, excited that Vader had offered to spend time with him. 'Thank you', he added as an afterthought.

'I am going away next week but I will only be gone for a couple of days. We shall begin after I return'. After all, one could certainly duel and fly without the Force to enhance their reflexes. At least anyone who was any good could. It would be a chance to determine Luke's potential and skill without disobeying his master.


	11. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

As promised, the following week, Luke found himself with Jared and Kendal in Martial Arts class. So far he wasn't too thrilled. The instructor had just told them they wouldn't learn actual fighting techniques until next year. And the physical part would only start next semester. Luke started to regret taking the class because all they did was try to learn meditation. Try being the key word. The instructor told them about various techniques, after which he asked them to close their eyes and clear their minds. Luke felt unmeasurably stupid doing this, partly because he was one of the few who even bothered. He was too embarrassed to even attempt to fall asleep. Kendal and Jared seemed to have a good time, trading whispers when they thought Mr. Rhay didn't see them and planning their homework when he was nearby. To Luke it seemed that Mr. Rhay was well aware of all the goings on in his class, even if he chose no to do anything about it most of the time.

'Mr. Skywalker, stay behind.' "_Uh-oh, what did I do?_" Kendal was looking at him with a similar question in his eyes. Luke decided for a quick getaway over moral support and waved his friends to go ahead.

'Sir?'

'You are not in trouble, Mr. Skywalker. I just wanted to know why you weren't even trying in class today.' Luke thought this was unfair since he did actually pay attention; he couldn't help feeling stupid during the practical part, but he was hardly alone in that. Why had he been singled out? Was it because he had started late? Luke suddenly saw this as a perfect opportunity to get out of the class.

'No, Mr. Skywalker, dropping the course is not an option at this point.'

"_OK, so maybe smiling in anticipation hadn't been such a good idea._" Not for the first time Luke cursed his luck. Had anyone else been in his place, their expression would have been interpreted as sucking up to the instructor.

'Going back to my previous question. Is there any reason you had difficulty with the exercise?'

'I was distracted.'

'Other things on your mind, Mr. Skywalker?'

'No, not like that. Everybody was fidgeting and whispering.'

'Perhaps you have chosen your seat unwisely.'

'I sat with my friends!', Luke couldn't stop himself from replying. As for Kendal and Jared, he decided not to draw any more attention to them, or to the rest of the group, by pointing out what the man already knew. For a moment, the man was silent.

'I hope you realize, sometime in the near future, that it is you alone who can set the line between loyalty and doing what is in your best interest.' Luke barely had time to register this when the man continued. 'Since I can do nothing about your low tolerance for distractions, I want you to practice at home. The point of learning meditation, as I said in the first lesson, is to be able to enjoy its benefits even in adverse circumstances – such as a class of fidgeting and inattentive seven year olds.'

'Yes, sir.'

'Dismissed.'

Later when he told his friend about the exchange they all agreed it was weird that Luke had been singled out like that, especially since he hadn't demonstrated any particular talent in the "Learn to sleep sitting up and wake without giving it away" class.

'Are you coming round my place tonight?' asked Kendal.

'Sorry, there's some big reception. They're dragging me too.'

'Luke, what about you?' Luke sincerely admired Kendal's optimism or stubbornness. Jared almost never came, and on the few occasions he was allowed, it was the first thing the two of them found out in the morning. Kendal still asked him every time.

'Mr. Rhay said I should try it on my own, sorry.'

Vader hadn't returned by the time Luke got home, so the seven-year-old decided to give the meditation thing a try. He sat on his bed, propped on the headrest and closed his eyes. There was no sound to distract him, but the position he had chosen wasn't as comfortable as he first thought. He tried kneeling on the bed and to his distress found he was getting sleepy. It was during one of his battles not to snore that Vader walked in.

'Son, what are you doing?' Vader sounded genuinely curious.

'Um, meditating? Looks like this is all we are going to do in Martial Arts for now.'

After learning the specifics of his lesson from Luke, Vader's first impulse was to congratulate himself for managing to get someone else to teach his son meditation. He had a pretty good idea of what Luke though of the usefulness of this class. Unfortunately, the part of him he thought of as the responsible parent wouldn't let him nod and walk out of Luke's room. "_Oh well, I suppose that teaching a Skywalker to meditate is a burden that should be shared. Besides, I would much prefer if he learned to do it right._" He led Luke to one of the training rooms and motioned for him to take the mat opposite his.

'When you first learn to meditate it is better to close your eyes. In time, that will not be necessary any more. Next, start taking even breaths that don't put you to sleep but allow you to follow their rhythm.' Luke found it easier to focus on Vader's breathing cycle, since it was already measured. He felt a faint chuckle coming from the man.

'Your breath must also be even. That is how you relax.'

After a few minutes of this, he heard his father's voice again.

'Now, pick something to concentrate on. You should try something that doesn't require creative thinking on your part. So no planning your history essay!' Vader warned. Luke would have smiled, but he got the feeling it was important he learned this.

'Choose a tune, or a program that isn't too exciting. A memory would be good.'

'What do I do with a memory?' Luke asked.

'Replay it in your mind as you lived it. See what details you remember. The color and texture of objects, temperature, light. Then try seeing it from another's physical point of view, from their position and height.'

A few days later Luke had managed to meditate without becoming sleepy, but Vader had to caution him against using the Force unintentionally, when examining memories. It was annoying for Luke to feel he had the power to facilitate his meditation and not be able to use it, but he understood his father's reasons.

'Is this all you can do with meditation?' he asked one day.

'No, there are many things one can accomplish through it. Most of all it helps you calm yourself and focus your thoughts, keep them in order. You can relax while staying aware of your surroundings. All this can be enhanced by using the Force.'

'Which I'm not allowed to do.'

'For now. And maybe even after you learn to use it there will be times when circumstances prevent you from using it. A trained Force sensitive can tell when another nearby is using the Force.'

Hearing his father speak of when he would learn to use the Force filled Luke with hope. He hoped it would be soon, because then he would be able to spend even more time with his father, and also because he was anxious to fell the Force. What little his father had told him filled him with awe and longing to touch it himself.

Another thing happened that week, something Luke had predicted although he knew it was not due to any Force sensitivity on his part: he failed the history test. Part of Luke dreaded his father finding out, while the other part was more afraid of Vader finding out and not caring. For all his nervousness, Vader had been amazingly calm receiving the news and ushered Luke from the hangar (where on spotting his father the boy had immediately blurted out what was on his mind) to his room. Then again, it might have been because Luke had worked himself into such a state that he was ready to collapse, and Vader decided he'd rather not be seen carrying the unconscious body of his son.

'Have you eaten anything today?'

The question was so far from anything Luke expected that it took him almost a whole minute to understand what he had been asked.

'No.'

Vader ordered a light meal, and sat watching his son eat. Once Luke started pushing the rest around his plate Vader saw fit to resume their conversation.

'Luke, although I want you to concentrate on your studies, I do not expect perfect results. Especially in the beginning.'

'You're not angry with me?', Luke asked bewildered.

'Should I be? If you did all you could to pass this test, it would be unreasonable for me to be angry.'

Luke bowed his head. 'I did spend a lot of time with Kendal after classes.'

Vader waited for him to continue.

'But I don't know what more I could have done.'

'How were your lessons?'

'I learned what they taught us. But there was so much more we had to know, and I didn't always understand why things happened. Sometimes I didn't know where to start looking. It just seams so much.'

'Why didn't you say something before?'

'You would help me?' Luke sounded as surprised as Vader had earlier.

'Yes. It's important you learn how to find the information you need. And although I don't care much for politics I will help you understand why things happen.'

'What has politics to do with history?'

'Everything. History is the way we know it, because of the political decisions taken by different bodies: the Trade Federation, the Senate, the Emperor.'

'Aren't some decisions economical?'

'Yet they are made with the purpose of gaining more political power, or influencing those who wield power.'

'So it gets more complicated!'

'Yes, but for now you only need a basic understanding.'

'What is it?', asked Luke, because from what he could tell his father was giving him a calculating look.

Without saying a word, Vader picked up his comm-link and called for a lieutenant Luke didn't know. When he arrived, Vader introduced them.

'Lieutenant Randill, this is my son, Luke.'

'You will show him how to research different topics. Also how to access restricted levels number 4 and 5. You are relieved of your other duties for the rest of the week, so you can devote your entire attention to this matter.' Luke lit up at this pronouncement and eyed the officer. Like the ones before him, when meeting Vader's son, he was trying to suppress a look of bewilderment.

Over the next weeks, Luke made little progress in history itself but considerable progress in reading all restricted material he had access to. He had tried several times to get Lieutenant Randill to show him how to access the higher level restricted files, but although the man never denied him outright, he always managed to change the subject. Apparently he had received a few more orders from Vader, than Luke was aware of.

The first holiday came and to Luke's surprise and delight, Vader had offered to give him a tour of a Star Destroyer, before departing for a mission. They didn't talk much during the flight to the Star Destroyer's orbit, but Luke had noticed that although speaking to his son didn't always come easily, Vader enjoyed spending time with him.

Vader piloted the shuttle and landed in the Avenger's hangar, while Luke fought not to question him about all the controls. Ever since he had started reading in earnest, he had learned a lot about ships, and noticed it was a subject his father was always willing to discuss.

The corridors of the Avenger were just as gray and boring as those of the Star Destroyer that brought him to Coruscant, but this time he would get to see the bridge. The view was spectacular, the pale length of the ship stretching out before him, against the sparkling black of space. It made you appreciate the ship's size in a way the long walk from the turbolift didn't.

An officer had approached Vader the moment they entered, and he was deep in conversation with the man. Luke headed for the nearest lights display and began questioning the officer at the station. It turned out to be the sensor array, and the Captain was most helpful, although that was probably because of Luke's companion. Then again, Luke doubted there had ever been another child on the bridge of a Star Destroyer, so maybe they just didn't know how to treat him. It was as if his presence here had momentarily elevated him, giving him the status of an adult. When Vader came to get him, Luke glanced at the Captain's nameplate, in case they should meet again.

'I hope you didn't talk Captain Piett into a stupor. I need him alert for this mission', said Vader as he was leading him back to the shuttle. Luke knew his father was joking, and replied in mock indignation.

'Why do you always think the worst of me? And I know the journey last for 50 hours, so he'll have plenty of time to sleep it over. Besides, he did most of the talking, and you know it.'

Kendal and Jared had both gone to Corellia with their parents, so Luke didn't have anything and anyone to distract him from the boredom that was taking over. And he had so looked forward to this holiday! After just one day he had completed all the scenarios of Starfighter12, turned the holoscreen on and off a total of 57 times, and managed to sleep for half the day. Luke knew this was a dangerous time for him. He had been here before, and felt he was very close to giving in to his curiosity and letting his recklessness get him in trouble. Still, knowing something was about to happen is rarely enough to stop it. Luke found himself on the upper levels of the castle, trying every door that wasn't locked. So far he hadn't found many.

The sound of a cleaning droid made him approach silently a door that was slightly ajar, and peer inside. There was a large desk in the middle of the room, littered with datapads and ship models. The walls were also full of schematics; some looked complete, while others were sketches, looking more like drawings than anything else. The room wasn't cozy or anything, but Luke had a good feeling about it, that had nothing to do with the discovery itself. "_I wonder whom it belongs to? It's a bit remote for the regular personnel. And it doesn't look like anyone comes here too often._" Stepping inside, careful not to be seen, Luke secured a position behind the desk and out of the droid's way. He reached for the nearest datapad on the desk and was surprised when it didn't need a password to open. It was something about a hyperdrive and some statistics regarding different starfighter types. Hearing the droid leave, Luke sat himself in the large leather chair and began to read. He was on the fourth datapad when he first felt sleepy. There was no chrono on the wall and he didn't want to chance turning on the terminal. "_I'll just take a short nap._"

After he woke, Luke ignored his hunger thinking he could afford to skip supper. He felt he had never learned so much and besides, this was a side of his father he had never seen before. Because Luke now knew who the office belonged to. There was like an imprint of his father's presence in the room. When he had tried to get a better sense of it, Luke felt something like calm and passion. It was amazing how the two could coexist so seamlessly.

While Luke was ensconced in Vader's private office, his father was less composed. Vader paced the deck of the Avenger wondering what could possibly have gone wrong. Where could Luke be and how could he have disappeared from his home without anyone being the wiser. It had been two days since anyone saw him and there was no record of him leaving the castle. What disturbed him most was that he hadn't felt any danger, as a matter of fact he still didn't feel like anything was amiss. Except for the fact that there had been no commands for the kitchen and Lieutenant Devon who had return to work the day before had been unable to find him. The sole fact that he had called Vader let him know how worried the man must be.

"_Maybe I should just trust the Force. It's not like I can go against its will, no matter how much I try._"

An officer approached him, probably to communicate the success of their mission, but Vader knew that already. He turned his back, and started pacing in the other direction.

"_But if I only act at the urgings of the Force, doesn't that make me a bad parent? Luke may be my son but that doesn't mean our connection is foolproof. Damn you, Palpatine, if it weren't for you I could contact him through the Force. But how can I make Luke use the Force when they're on the same planet and I'm two days away?_" He sighted. "_I wish you were here Padme. I whish you could help me raise our son. I don't know if I'm enough, even if I could give him all my attention. Children shouldn't suffer because of their parents' mistakes, but so far every sorrow in Luke's life was caused by my bad decisions._"

Back on Coruscant, Luke had finally given in to his hunger and went back to his room.

'Max, you're back!' he exclaimed.

'Luke? Oh Force, where have you been? Are you all right?'

'What's wrong?'

'Luke, you were missing for two days!' he explained to an incredulous Luke.

'No I wasn't! I was only gone a few hours.'

'What were you doing?'

'Read…'he still couldn't believe that much time had passed.

'Never mind, you can tell it to your father once we establish a connection.'

'You called my father!'

'Of course we called him. I couldn't find you and there were no records of you leaving the premises, no orders to the kitchen.'

'I am a bit hungry. Do you suppose I could eat first?' he asked giving Lieutenant Devon his most charming smile.


	12. Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

He tried to restrain his pacing. He really did. At least since he noticed he was the subject of amusement for the entire bridge crew. Vader had never experienced such emotion coming from his men. They had all been properly fearful of him, avoiding catching his eye or his attention for the first part of their journey. After their first task had been completed, and before they could make the next jump an urgent message arrived from Coruscant. They had expected a change of orders, or a message from the Emperor himself and instead stole glances at the man in lieutenant uniform who was informing Lord Vader that someone had gone missing. Strangely enough the person appeared to have escaped from Vader's castle. So they had all continued to tinker at their stations, while Vader paced impatiently and the Assailant hung in space, waiting.

Finally, after what seamed like hours, an incoming call was received. Eager for news about the escapee, the crew, as discreetly as possible, craned their necks towards the flatscreen displaying the caller. Instead of the lieutenant, or a prisoner spewing curses, they were treated to the image of a blond mop of hair and a pair of sleepy blue eyes that still managed an enthusiastic: 'Hi, Dad!'

Vader could have hit his head against the wall. He couldn't say if it was for relief or annoyance.

'Where were you?' straight to the point, not letting either emotion seep through.

'I kinda lost track of the time looking at some sketches.'

Vader could feel his skepticism was received unaltered at the other end of the transmission.

'On level 15. I found an unlocked doo…' Luke faltered, wondering if he should rephrase that; his father would know the truth and he was in enough trouble already…

Vader however had heard enough and from what he knew of his son, could tell exactly which 'open' door and the room behind it had caught Luke's attention.

'Make sure it stays closed until I return and listen to lieutenant Max. I don't want to receive any more emergency calls.'

'Ok. Bye Dad!'

'And get some sleep!' he added before he could stop himself. In front of him, a waving Luke was replaced with the image of space outside.

Vader started pacing, his annoyance gone. Behind him he could feel the amusement, shock and sympathy of the crew.

Vader had always loved the stars, the sight of them stretched beyond the view of whatever ship he was on. They had sung out to him with countless possibilities, emotion, adventure, but mostly they had sung out with life. It had been a long time since he allowed himself to experience these feelings. The sight that had calmed and reassured him for years had become nothing more than a way to distance himself from others as he stared at them without truly seeing them.

Since Luke had entered his life he had allowed himself to experience this small pleasure, one of the few still accessible to him. And now, even they had lost their shine – to Luke. Vader could remember another face he had preferred to see. He knew his attachment to his son was already unbreakable. No matter what Luke would do, no matter what he chose to become he would always be Vader's son, a son he wanted by his side. But this was something deeper than caring and more dangerous: Vader knew he loved Luke with all his heart, and that his son was fast becoming the center of his universe. And that could prove to be very dangerous – especially to Luke.

In his private office, Palpatine scowled at the report from his agent aboard the Assailant. Not having access to the bridge he didn't know the reason for the several hour delay before the ship's second jump. He did mention that a series of highly encrypted calls had been made, after a first received message of unknown origin. It angered Palpatine that the agent wasn't able to decipher the codes. It wasn't curiosity, for the Emperor knew with certainty that the first call had been sent from Vader's own castle on Coruscant and that the subject of the exchange was Vader's son.

Exactly what the brat had done Palpatine didn't care to know, what he did care was that it had been enough to distract Vader from his duty. A duty which would be carried out to the desired conclusion, in the required time frame, but in this case Palpatine cared for more than just the final result. It angered him that Vader had taken into his head to play father. The Emperor knew one of his servant's greatest failings was the stubbornness with which he pursued the path of his choosing.

He had known, years before, that once Skywalker decided to find his missing wife he would let nothing stand in his path and be willing to move mountains to achieve his goal. Which is exactly what he had done. Followed her trail which led to the very Jedi who had denied their help in locating one of their most outspoken supporters in the Senate. The beauty of it was that Palpatine himself hadn't needed to lift a finger to ensure Skywalker's turn against the Order. To him it had been obvious that the Jedi, aware of the relationship between Amidala and their Chosen One, and considering the implications of her pregnancy, would have decided to remove her from Skywalker's life the only way possible. One innocent comment to Master Windu regarding the senator's declining health had made even the oblivious Jedi aware of her condition, and paired with an equally innocent question about Amidala's only close relationship being her 'friendship' with Skywalker had been enough. A week before Skywalker and Kenobi returned from the Outer Rim the meddlesome senator had disappeared never to be seen again. Skywalker's outrage when he returned to find her gone had been a thing of beauty. And his absolute rage when a distressed Motee had informed him Amidala was with child sent chills down his spine. It was surprisingly easy to take that betrayal and blow things out of proportion. Before long Palpatine had to enlist Skywalker's help to 'save' the Republic from the Jedi that were planning to take over. And while his best legion was 'containing' the rebellion at the Jedi Temple, and Skywalker was disposing of the Separatists on Mustafar the Republic came to its long awaited death, only to make room for the first Galactic Empire.

If only the miserable Jedi had been more proactive and killed the senator and her brat. By that time Anakin Skywalker was out of control, and Palpatine was enjoying the destruction wrought by his protégé. But, of course, Jedi did not like to waste potential, especially since the war had diminished their numbers. The boy could be trained to be a Sith now, but for all the patience the Emperor had exhibited in gaining absolute power, he had none left for educating a child. Maybe if he lived to adulthood, Palpatine would reconsider his decision and train him. However, his experience with the previous Skywalker and the boy's interfering with Vader's duty made the Emperor suspect it wouldn't be long until he killed the boy out of sheer annoyance.

Over the next days Luke sat at his terminal browsing the Holonet in search of starships. He already had a number of favorites the designs of which he planned on studying in greater detail. But for that he needed his father. Although Luke thought he had a good basic knowledge he couldn't understand most of the schematics or how certain improvements on the design affected the model's performance. Luke had tried showing the schematics to Max but the lieutenant had no experience in this field so he was no help at all. What he did was suggest Luke borrow an astromech droid from the hangar and get him to explain. So far that had proven to be another failure. Most droids didn't even pay attention to him, and others had no idea how to explain anything. That left Luke eagerly awaiting his father's return.

AN

This chapter comes with the story of how Anakin became Vader. As I mentioned before there are several differences between Journey and cannon, which I don't want to edit. My own version of ROTS is somewhat close to the official one, mainly because I waited for Episode 3 both for inspiration and to decide on the finer details. That being said:

- Padme disappears before Palpatine is abducted by Dooku and Anakin doesn't have nightmares of her dying in childbirth

- the war lasts for another 2 years

- Anakin discovers the Jedi are responsible for Padme's disappearance and that Palpatine is a Sith

- he doesn't participate in the massacre at the Temple but ends up fighting Obi-Wan on Mustafar


End file.
